i66 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[August i, 1882. 



How TO OBTAIN OLD COFFEE, WELL ROASTED ASD 

 GROUND, has been a problem more difficult of solution 

 in Ceylon than in countries where coffee cannot be 

 grown. Our readers, especially those at the head of 

 families, 'will be glad to learn that one so experienced 

 and competent as Dr. Shipton has laid himself out 

 to supply this long-felt want. Dr. Shipton in send- 

 ing us a specimen tin of good old coffee ( with an ad- 

 mixture even of chicory!) -nTites : — "I am trying 

 to supply what I think has always been a gi'eat want 

 in Ceylon, i. e. , good ohi coffee prepared for use, as 

 there has always appeared to me gi-eat difficulty, 

 first of all in getting the raw product and then in 

 getting servants to properly roast and grind it. I 

 can supply it to the public at 50 cents per lb. . and 

 propose making it up in 2 lb. and 3 lb. tins, charging 

 25 cents each for the tins, which \^^ll be soldered. 

 I hope not only to find a good demand for local 

 consumption but that the steamers calling at Colombo 

 may find it convenient to take in a good supjily. 

 Perhaps in time a market may also be found m India." 

 We wish Dr. Shipton all the success his enterprlze 

 deserves. His name is a giiarantee for the excellence 

 of the article he promises to supply. AVe believe 

 Messrs. J. Walker & Co. manufactured the roaster to be 

 used by Dr. Sliipton. 



Bf.CENT E.XPLOEATIONS AND NeW PhODUCTS IN BOLIVIA. — 



Dr. B. R. Heath, who has recently returned to the United 

 States from South America, reports that he lias explored 

 300 miles of the River Beni to its confluence with the 

 Madeira. Little or uothiug had been known of the north- 

 ern portion of Boliria until Professor Orton, who met his 

 death in tlmt country a few years ago while prosecuting 

 his surveys, and liis successor, Dr. Heath, penetrated this 

 vast wilderness of pampas. The lattef gentlem.^u has suc- 

 ceeded in correcting many ■ geographical errors wliich ap- 

 peared on the published maps, and reports the river as 

 nario-able through its entire length, with the exception of 

 a slight fall at one point. The water of the Beni varies 

 in depth from 27 ft. to 500ft. The channel of the stream 

 has been cut tlirough the red clay and gneiss formations 

 to an average depth of 30ft., the walls being in many 

 places vertical. In a few years the vast resources of this 

 country -srill be developed, and the effects of this inland 

 commerce will be felt by American and European countries. 

 Some of the products of the Beni valley are the rubber 

 tree which is even now being exported to Europe, but 

 a period of two years and upwards is required to receive 

 returns. Peruvian bark is extensively cultivated in many 

 places on the coirfines of civiUzation. One planter o^vns 

 a forest of 1,000,000 trees, while another is the possessor 

 of 200,000. The supply of Peruvian bark is said to be 

 practically inexhaustible. The finest quality of coffee in 

 the world is raised in this region, and it is believed that 

 its introduction into foreign ports will materially lessen 

 the cost of the staple varieties now in use. Dr. Heath, 

 during his travels, covering several years, came into con- 

 tact mth many savage tribes. He describes one of these 

 as being a white race, but possessing the Indian physiog- 

 nomy. °A tribe of cannibals occupies a portion of the 

 Beni valley, and makes yearly incursions into the neigh- 

 bouring districts for human flesh. Many of the tribes of 

 this section are entu-ely nude, while others are prorided 

 with but little clotliing. Traces of former occupancy are 

 numerous in many places, and hieroglyphics are abandant 

 along the rocky w.alls of some portions of the river, and 

 m some places he observed that certain characters occurred 

 at high water mark, showing when it was dangerous to 

 navigate the river. Among these devices, of which drawings 

 were made, are a number strongly re.senibling anchors, 

 though the general character of them is the same as the 

 ancient picture writings found on the rocks in some sections 

 of the western United States. Ruined stone structures are 

 abundant at many points. The fauna and flora of the 

 Beni region include a large number of hitherto undescribe \ 

 species, \nd the collections of the former have been placiil 

 in the hands of Professor E. D. Cope, the eminent 

 pateontologist, for classification. No pubUshed reports of 

 the explorations have yet .appeared, but they will be issued 

 in due time. — London Times. 



Local Sale of Cocoa.- We learn that Mr. 

 J. L. Stipperger has purchased about 16 cwt. of cocoa 

 from the Delgolla plantation, in the Kurunegala dis- 

 trict, at very satisfactory rates for the producer. The 

 cocoa was divided into three lots : — about 4J cwt. 

 ' selected ' bought at R55 per cwt. ; about 9 cwt. 

 ordinary at R53 ; and 3J cwt. common and light for 

 R30 per cwt. These are very good prices to start 

 the local market with, and must be considered en- 

 couraging by all planters of cocoa. We may yet 

 see a large portion of the Kurunegala district under 

 this new product. 



A Whitewash th.\t will Stick and Wash. — We 

 find in a German paper a formula for a wash which 

 can be applied to lime walls and afterwards become 

 waterproof so as to bear washing. Resenschek, of 

 Munich, mixes together the powder from three parts 

 silicious rock (quartz), tlu-ee parts broken marble and 

 sandstone, also two parts of burned porcelain clay, 

 wdth two parts freshly slaked lime, still wami. In this 

 way a wash is made which forma a silicate if often 

 wetted, and becomes after a time almost like stone. 

 The four constituents mixed together give the ground 

 colour to which any pigments that can be used mth 

 lime is added. It is applied quite thickly to the wall 

 or other surface, let dry one day, and the next day 

 frequently covered with water which makes it water- 

 proof. The wash can be cleansed with water without 

 losing any of its colour ; on the contrary, each tune 

 it gets harden, so that it can even be brushed, while 

 its porosity makes it look soft. The wash of calcim- 

 ine can be used for ordinary purposes as well as 

 for the finest painting. A so-called fresco surface can 

 be prepared with it in the dry wsiy. ^PiihUc Opinion. 



A Correspondent writing to the Madra.i Mail, re- 

 cently made certain remarks regarding Nc-ilgherry 

 tea aud the prospects of Indian tea planters. Of 

 the former, he observed that for the first week, dur- 

 iug which he had used Neilgherry tea, he thought the 

 beverage delicious, but continued use created a dis- 

 lik.j which induced him in a few weeks to abandon it 

 altogether. Many of our readers will regard this as 

 an exaggeration. Neilgherry tea, like every other 

 manufactured article, is of 'many and different qual- 

 ities. We have tasled the congou of some of the 

 fsta'es enjoying the very best reputation, and 

 have found it the vilest stuff. Planters are [in the 

 habit of disposing of lea with defects in manufacture 

 to the locd trade aud pett}' dealr-rs, and this damaged 

 siiiff not nnfrequenlly is passed off upon customers, 

 who thereupon at once condnmn the genuine article. 

 Even the very best tea in a climate like Ootacaniund, 

 if not carefully kept, becomes mouldy in a short 

 time, and then yields a most o'ljectionable flavored 

 liquor. We have frequently seen tea that had be- 

 come mouldy in packets dried in the sun and re- 

 packed. The genuine article, of reputed brand and 

 oiiiained fr^'in respectable dealer, produc-s as fine a 

 tea as iiny body coidd wish to drink Some of our 

 friends who have used the tea for years speak in the 

 highest terms of the liquor and strength and of its 

 tliorough wholesomeness. The China tea is i ven here 

 used to flavor a mixed tea. The China leaf has this 

 single recnmmendat'on. and tor this reason planters 

 cultivate a small patch, with the Cliina plant, and 

 after manufacturing the leaf separately, mix it with 

 the tea of high class hybrid. The separa'e manu- 

 facture seems necessary, as China leaf is hard and 

 does not roll or ferment as rapidly ae the leaf of 

 A9-<am hybrids. The prospects of tea planters are 

 not of the brighiest at present ; tea estites are a drug 

 in the market, but an improving future is before 

 them, aud a r-action imminent. Wih expanding 

 consum itinn, increasing markets and depression in 

 China trade, all the conditions exist for the future 

 prosperity of ihetea industry of the Neilgherries. 



