May I, 1883.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



909 



CEYLON TIMBERS FOR TEA BOXES. 



Since writing on this subject, we liave looliecl over 

 Mr. W. Feki:uson's notes on Mendis's list of Ceylon 

 timber trees, singling out those described as inferior 

 for general purposes, from their lightness and want 

 of fibre or great sti'eugth, as probably the most likely 

 to be sufficiently useful without being too costly. 

 We fear iumi-mcdiUa is too good, but the specimen 

 box of the much despised hal is certainly most 

 encouraging. From what is said of the " alubo" 

 "this is one of the largest trees of this order grow- 

 ing in Ceylon and common in the Western Province, 

 but it is not a valuable timber though used for house- 

 building," — we should think it might answer ? Also 

 bala-ilomha, used for house-building and agricultural 

 purposes? Kadol, one of the mangroves, " the timber 

 of which is seldom used if any other can be had," 

 might, like hal, when well seasoned, do for tea boxes? 

 The kottamha or country almond is a ready and rapid 

 grower and its light but durable wood might suit ? 

 Plantations of this tree could be quickly established. 

 Diyaqiara, which is " seldom used except for com- 

 mon housebuilding," might answer for tea boxes. 

 Mwndora is, we fear too much in request for rafters 

 and reepers in house-building. Halamba, though 

 "scarcely dcccr\ing a place amongst the really use- 

 ful timber trees of Ceylon " (written when tea boxes 

 had not come to the front), might, when well seasoned, 

 be good enough for carrying tea to London in, the 

 tea being protected by lead ? Hora, just because it 

 shares with hal the position of being one of the 

 " most despised of the timbeis of Ceylon," may be 

 cheap enough while good enough (if thoroughly sea- 

 soned) for tea boxes. The kahala is the tree with lar^e 

 oak -like leaves, so commonly scattere<l over the patanas 

 of Ceylon up to 3,000 [5,000?] feet. As "its timber 

 is in great request in Ceylon," it might be cheap enough 

 to be used for tea chests, but perhaps the timber is 

 too heavy: 50 lb. a cubic foot, when seasoned? 

 Kcehdla, which grows up to 3,000 feet, and which, 

 though "used for building purposes, is "not con- 

 sidered valuable, " might be good enough for tea 

 boxes ? The timber of kiripalla and that of all the 

 Indian figs (bo, banyan, &c. ) is described as nearly 

 worthless, but some of these, well seasoned, might 

 answer the purpose of the tea planter ? Lawulu 

 might suit, just because "the wood is used for com- 

 mon house-building, but is not valuable." What we 

 want is cheap wood, but s^iffickntiy good. The mora, 

 the wood of which is used for common house-build- 

 ing but is not much in request, might answer? 

 The nelli shar.es with the kahala the possession of 

 the upland patanas, and, although in Ceylon its timber 

 is not valued as it is in Madras, it might be good 

 enough and of sufficient size for tea-boxes ? Trees 

 which will flourish on Ceylou patanas, resisting the 

 action of periodical fires, ought surely to be valuable ? 

 Ramana-idala, which has a range from the coast 

 to 7,000 feet, is "used for common house-building" 

 and might answer for tea chests ? Euk-altana, with 

 " its timber, white, light and used for coffins, pack- 

 ing cases, &c.," looks as promising as hal itself. 

 Has it been tried for tea-boxes ? Tclambu we merely 

 mt;ition for the purpose of turning uji our nose at 

 its timber, which is said to be as fa-tid as its flowers. 

 If the smell can be dispelled (and it surely can ?') 

 the timber seems all that could be desired — " li"ht, 

 tough, easily worked and not liable to split or warp. " I 

 116 



The ftetid odour, it appears, becomes apparent only 

 when the wood is bruised, which tea-boxes are certainly 

 liable to be. Wal-bomba, properly bombu, is we find a 

 symjiloeos {S. spicata), and, therefore, allied to, if it is 

 not the very tree, the roots of which poison tea- 

 bushes to death ? It is eommou from the coast up 

 to 7,00U feet. The wood is close in graiu, light, 

 very deficient in filjre and not durable : it is used for 

 common house-building and firewood. This tree of wide 

 range, if not high character, might, perhaps, answer 

 well enough for tea-boxes ? The other trees in the 

 list seem too good, or rather too costly, and too heavy 

 for tea boxes. 'I'he only question is whether superior 

 timbers, such as teak, may not, as we previously 

 suggested, be made to pay as material for tea-boxes' 

 by being .sawn into very thin deals ? Has anyone 

 used teak boxes and have experiments been tried 

 with the timbers we have mentioned by their Sinhal- 

 ese names ? And has the timber of E. rjlohtdus or 

 any other of the Australian trees been tried ? If so, 

 information will be valued and will pro\e useful to 

 the rising tea enterprize. We hope no one who has 

 obtained light on the subject under discussion will 

 hide it under a bushel. We may refer to a para- 

 graph on our back page for the scientific names of 

 trees used in Northern India by planters for tea- 

 boxes. 



Since writing the above we hare receix'ed the fol- 

 lowing useful communication, ilalabada, it will be 

 seen, is not a good timber tree, but when well sea- 

 soned (tlie gi'eat point) is good enough for tea- 

 boxes : — 



April 19th, 1883. 

 Sir, — You ask for information regarding tea-box 

 woods. The wood which I always use now is MalU- 

 boddc, the wild nutmeg, well seasoned, and in this 

 lies the secret. 



This wood is very common, seasons quickly, is 

 light and free from smell, whilst the large size of 

 the trees makes sawing it cheap. As we all know, 

 it is a bad timber wood, being subject to the at- 

 tacks of insects, and unable to stand damp. 



Sawyers will cut into plankiiig at R3 per 100 feet : 

 and chests and half-chests will cost, without nails, 

 lead or hooping, 2 cents per lb. tea as an average, 

 presuming that the timber is transported to tlie work- 

 shop by coolies leaving work, &c. — I am, sir, your 

 obedient servant, T. C. Owen. 



TEA-DRYING BY STEAM. 



On this subject we have received the following 

 letter :— 



Kalutara, 7th April 1883. 



SiK, — I send you a rough sketch of a tea-drying 

 machine whicii has been suggested to me and which 

 recommends ilstlf so etrcngly in some of its original 

 points that I believe it quite worth while laying 

 before the public. 



The weak point, so far as I can see, in Mr. Shand's 

 machine (and in the case of the "Sirocco" and other 

 driers in the upper trays to feme extern) ia that it 

 stews the tea : /. e., that fermentation continues for 

 some time after the leaf has been put on to dry. 



Ihis, you will see from the enclosed sketch, is 

 entirely avuideel in this machine, as each tray haa its 

 own comiartnient regulated by pressure to any heat 

 it is wanted, and, by the valve arrangement on the 

 top, over-liealiug is inipossibli . as any over-paessure 

 would open the valve and thereby reduce the temp- 

 erature to the exact point required. 



Am Iher strong point in its favour is that the 

 heated 'viipour Irem the lower trays does not pass 

 through the upp'r ones (thereby stew'iug the tea) 

 but passes out behind iuto a vapour escape-due : the 



