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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[October i, i88z. 



Industrial and Technological Mdseom. 



Laboratory, 22nd June, 1882. 

 The following results shows the highest percentage of 

 Extract we have so far obtained during our series of ex- 

 aminations to date : — 



The samples of Indian and Oeylon teas were obtained 

 from the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880-81; 

 the small percentage of Ash and Soluble Salts is probably 

 owing to the rapid growth of the tea plant, and also the 

 carefulness bestowed during the process of manufacture. 

 The three last .samples are the best that could be obtained, 

 but we do not consider them as representatives of the 

 " Fine.st Teas " that their respective localities are capable 

 of producing. 



The results of our examinations leads us to expect that 

 each country is capable of producing a tea which con- 

 tains the same percentage of extract. 



J. OosMO Ne-wbeey, 

 Frederick Dunn. 



These teas may be classed as the liighest standards (so 

 far obtained) of excellence from the analysts point of view, 

 which is also comfirmed from a tea taster's standpoint 

 by the aroma and liquor of the teas analyzed. This result 

 tends to show that aU countries can grow the finest 

 description of tea. 



To the consumer, the question of the greatest import- 

 ance is, how near do the teas of commerce go to the 

 above standards. As far as Melbourne is concerned, the 

 question is easily answered by the following tables, pre- 

 pared from numerous analyses made by Messrs. Oosmo 

 Newbery & Dunn — 



Season 1881-82. 





fM •« Ph 



5-56 



4371 



5-48 34-58 



5-71 



516 



5-51 



30-94 

 36-94 

 36-32 



10-64 



3-15 

 3-45 

 2-87 

 2-92 

 3-27 

 3-27 



Average of 14,000 half-chests of 



Indian teas 



Average of 13,299 half-chests of 

 first crop Foo Chow Oongous. . . 

 Average of 10.299 half-chests of 

 second crop Foo Ohow Oougous 

 Average of six samples 300 half- 

 chests of Mouing Oongous 

 Average of tour samples 118 pack- 

 ages of Japan teas 

 Average of three samples 48 pack- 

 ages of Java teas . 



The Moning, Japan, and Java teas, though sold_ m the 

 market, are rather too small in quantity to give a fan: aver- 

 age for this class of commercial teas. 



It is claimed for India, and confirmed by the foregoing 

 analyses, that her commercial teas rank far higher than 

 those of any other producing country in the world, and 

 are nearest to the highest standard of excellence as deter- 

 mined by one of the most exact sciences (chemistry), that 

 civiUzed nations possess. 

 Professor Hassall writes — 



" Tea owes its properties mainly to tannin, theme, and 

 the volatile oil. The first gives it astringency, the second 

 stimulates both the vascular and nervous systems, whde 

 the third acts not only as a stimulant but imparts the 

 aroma, which is so characteristic of good tea, and which 

 is grateful to many. The exerts it power chiefly on the 

 nervous system. It excites the activity of the brain, and 

 stimulates the flow of thought. " 

 Professor Johnsoo writes — 



" Tea exhilarates without sensibly intoxicating. It excites 



to increased activity and produces wakefulness. It soothes 



on the contrary and stills the vascular system, hence its 



use in inflammatory difieaaesand as a cure of headache." 



Preparation of Ehea or China Grass. — At a recent 

 meeting of the Paris Soci^te d' Encouragement, M. Simon 

 reported on the process of decortication devised by M.Favier, 

 retired captain of Engineer corps. The greatest drawback to 

 the use of the rhea, or China grass, is said to be the slight " 

 proportion of textile filament which it possesses. To reduce 

 the time and expense of preparation, M. FaN-ier places 

 the stalks, freshly cut to lengths of five to ten feet, in 

 a wooden receptacle, to which steam is then admitted. 

 The outside covering is afterwards removed very easily by 

 children. — Journal of the Society of Arts. 



Curiosities of Grafting. — M. Carriere records in a 

 recent number of the Revue Horticole a case wherein he 

 grafted a Jerusalem Artichoke on to the stem of the 

 Sunflower. The method of procedure is not stated, but 

 a curious result followed, viz., the formation of tubers 

 on the stem of the Sunflower, no tubers being found 

 below-ground, although several were found on the stem 

 just above-ground. We trust M. Carriere will give us 

 fiu-ther particulars as to this interesting experiment. The 

 figure does not show how the graft was eff'ected, nor 

 whether the tubers were formed on the stock both above 

 and below the graft, M. Carriere also figures a graft of the 

 Tomato on the stems of Solanum Dulcamara. Our readers 

 ■will remember the analogous experiments of Mr. Maule and 

 Mr. Alexander Dean some years since. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 



Charcoal Jiaking in Kent.— This is done to a large 

 extent in the Hop districts of this country, in order to 

 supply the heavy local demand for drying Hops in the 

 time of the Hop harvest. The old Hop-poles are largely 

 utili.sed for the purpose. To prepare them for burning 

 they are broken into lengths of 3 feet each, and placed 

 for burning in stacks, which are formed of "cords" of 

 wood, as they are termed. Some of the larger stacks are 

 made up of three or four " cords " of wood, and the burners 

 are paid so much per "cord." In forming a stack for 

 building, a hollow place is _ left in the centre, and then 

 the lengths of Hop-poles are ' sent up on end round this 

 till the size required is obtained. It is usual to burn the 

 upper parts of the poles only, leaving all the sound lower 

 portions some 5 feet in length, in which form they are 

 very useful for repairing hedges, &c. When these are too 

 much decayed for this purpose they are burnt, but it is 

 necessary to place the ends which have been dipped in 

 crecsote before being used with the Hops upwards, or they 

 would not be consumed. They of course take a much longer 

 time to burn through than do the undipped portions. The 

 heap, when ready for lighting, presents a thick mass of upright 

 pieces of wood, the heaps varying in size according to 

 tlie quantity to be burned, and is from 14 to 20 feet m 

 diameter. A layer of coarse straw is then placed over the 

 heap of wood, and over this a covering of rough sand, 2 inches 

 or so in depth, is placed. A quantity of red-hot charocal 

 is then dropped into the opening in the centre, which ignites 

 the wood, and then the opening is covered over. The fire, 

 therefore, proceeds from the centre to the circumference, 

 and it occupies from a day and a half to three days to 

 thoroughly char the mass. When sufficiently cooled it is 

 cleared away into a shed ready for use, and another heap 

 is formed, till all that is required to be burned is exhausted. 

 The work is done by professional charcoal-burners, who 

 take a kind of circuit, itinerating in various parts of the 

 country. The best charcoal is made of roots of trees, but a 

 longer time is required to convert them into charcoal— what 

 is known as "cord wood"— that is, the branches of trees 

 that are cut out to thin them, or blown down by the wind, 

 and Hop-poles. The straw becomes thoroughly charred, 

 and, being mixed with the calcined sand and small pieces 

 of charcoal, makes an excellent manure for Onions, Turnips, 

 &c. It is not unlikely that this charred sand and charcoal 

 would prove an excelleut ingredient for Auricula soil. 

 There can be nothing injurious in it, being mainly composed 

 of the finer particles of the charcoal ; and the sand niust be 

 better after being burnt than before. Some of this sand 

 vrill be used by an Auricula cultivator in his potting compost 

 this summer, and it will be interesting to know how it 

 answers. It would not be difficult to obtain some fine 

 charcoal for potting purposes from some of the Kentish 

 homesteads as the Hop-dressers do njot care to use the fine 

 among it, and prefer the coarse. The remains of a 

 store-heap have to be sifted, and the siftings supply Auricula 

 cultivators with what they appear to require to keep their soj 

 oious and Kveet. — Gardeners' Chroniclt. 



