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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[June i, 1883. 



drunk by the natives, in cases of diarrhisa, and when diluted 

 with water it is used as cow's milk. The trees gi*ow in 

 groups and in alluvial soil. 



The *' Ealata " ^un is of a character somewhat between 

 caoutchouc and gutta percha, combining iu some degree 

 the elasticity of the one with the ductihty of the other, 

 freely softening and becoming pla stic and easily moulded 

 like gutta percha. "What smalf^fercels an-ived in England 

 met witli a iciidy sale and were remarkably free from 

 adulteration. But, unfortunately, tlirough the difficulty of 

 collection — the undertaking being so dangerous and un- 

 healthy — the supply of this excellent article has fallen off. 

 It is collected by making incisions in the bark about 7 

 feet from the ground, and a ring of clay placed roimd 

 the tree to catch the milk as it exudes. The yield is said 

 to be iu profusion especially at the time of the full moon, 

 and the operation can be repeated every two months in 

 the rainy season. It takes six hours to l>ring about coal- 

 escence by simple atmospheric influence, but very quicldy 

 by boiUng in water. A large tree is said to yield as much 

 as 4.51b. of "dry gum." The tree in every way is well 

 worthy of a trial by acclimating it. 



In India there are several plants whose products may 

 be classed as Pseudo-Guttas. First and foremost of these 

 we have the Pauchontee or Indian gutta tree, the Ba:isia 

 elliptKa of Dalzell, the Isonandra acnmiiutta of Lindley, 

 but now known as Dichopsis ellipticii. It is found in the 

 Wynaad, Coorg, Anamallay and Neilgherry Hills, Sholah 

 Forest, Oochin, Sichar, and, according to General Oullen, 

 *' appears to be common in all the forest tracts at all 

 within the intluences of the south-west rains.'' This tree, 

 which is now placed in the same genus as the true gutta 

 percha, is a large one — from 80 to 100ft. high — and was 

 fii-st met with by Mr. Dalzell iu North Canara, near the 

 falls of Goii'suppah, in 1849. Since that date General 

 Oullen and Dr. Cleghorn have used every exertion to bring 

 the substance prominently forward, but without success. 

 The gum is obtamed by tapping, a pound and-a-half being 

 obtained from one tree by five or six incisions, a large 

 tree yielding as much as 20 to 401b. of sap. Many ex- 

 periments have been made with specimens of the raw milk, 

 i.e., millc simply dried by exposm*e to the atmosphere. 

 The results of these experiments have shown that for 

 telegraphic pm'poses it is wanting in some essential qual- 

 ities, but it has been recommended as a sub-aqueous cement 

 or glue, ^^'^len dissolved in ordinary gutta percha solvents, 

 it, after the evapofation of the solvent, remains some time 

 soft and viscid, and partakes somewhat of the character 

 of bird-lime. AVheu cold, it is hard and brittle. With- 

 out wishing iu th» slightest degree to thi'ow doubt or 

 discretUt on tlie many and vahial:)le experiments made, we 

 would suggest that good samples be collected and treated 

 iu the same manner as recommended for gutta percha. 

 AVe have no doubt that many a parcel of what woidd 

 otherwise be yood gutta percha. is spoilt through not being 

 well boiled iinmcdiatdy after collection from the tree. 

 At present this is the only way in which we see there is a 

 possibility of ascertaining whether this product can be 

 utiUzed, and we have the more hope from the fact that the 

 structural character has led the plant to be placed in the 

 .same genus as the true gutta percha — structm-al affinity 

 agi'ceiug so often to chemical affinity. 



There are in India other nearly allied Supotacea which 

 deserve attention in order to ascertain whether any of 

 them yield a milky juice Ukely to be of commercial use. 

 Amongst the Et/phorhiacatc there are two plants worthy 

 of notice. The Euphorbia cattimamloo, foimd iu various 

 parts of India, was fii-st brought to notice by the Hon'blo 

 W. Elliot, and a prize medal was awarded for this sub- 

 stance by the jurors of the 1851 Exhibition. This spiny 

 Euphorb grows to the size of a .shnib or small tree, and 

 the milk flows out freely when a brauch is cut. The 

 natives use it as a cement to fasten knives in handles, 

 &c. Under the influence of heat it becomes soft and viscid, 

 and when dry very brttle. The Etiphorhia tirncaUi^ the 

 milk hedge or Indian tree spm-ge, is a succulent unarmed 

 plant attaining a height of 20 feet, and its iu.spissated 

 mills is used for various — chiefly medicinal — purpo.ses, and 

 has been recommended as a gutta percha substitute ; but 

 like gum Evphorhium., it has a very acrid character, and 

 the collection is a very dangerous operation to the eyes. — 

 Indian Agriciilturiit. 



Tea in Amebica. — A petition has been presented to the 

 United States Congress asking for the prohibition of the 

 importation of adulterated teas from China and Jap.au, 

 which are at present extensively sold. This, it is thought, 

 will lead to increased attention being paid to Indian teas, 



which are well known to be pure and unadulterated. 



Indian Ten Gazette. 



Tho3ipson'.s " Challenge " Rolling-BIachine. — Sir, — 

 The special features of the " Challenge " are, firstly, free 

 contact of the leaf throughout the roll with the outer 

 au- ; cheapness (see advertisement) ; simplicity of mechan- 

 ism ; perfection of feed, (Uscharge and pressm-e ; minim- 

 um of power required. And I thiuk I may here take 

 the opportunity of informing youi- good self and the tea 

 community generally that I have patented, and shall 

 .shortly have ready, two new inventions facilitating very 

 greatly the other processes of tea manufactvu-c. aud 

 greatly economising space requii-ed in the factory. They 

 are : — A combined Dryer, Sorter, and Breaker, thus enabl- 

 ing the manufactm-er to pack his tea right off, while 

 the heat may be generated by any description of fuel. 

 A1.S0, patent withering trays so arranged as to occupy the 

 actual minimum of space, while possessing every facility 

 to flU and discharge the leaf. — YoiU's, &c., A. Thoiupso.v. — 

 Indian Tea Gazette. 



The FuTuitE Gakden of QueE'NSLand. — The works for 

 uniting Herberton with Mom-Uyan Harbour, ou the Paci- 

 fic, are (says a Sydney paper) revealing unsaspected won- 

 ders on the coast I'ange table-lands. The Palmerston party 

 report that "the elevated comitry intervening between the 

 longitude of Herberton and the Pacific must one day be- 

 come the garden of Queensland, so rich and deep is the 

 chocolate-coloiu*ed soil, and so numerous and large are 

 the rivers and creeks. The smallest ravines are reported 

 to have water trickling down them. Broad sheets of water 

 are also met with, falling over huge basaltic precipices. 

 So dense is the scrub that some aboriginal tribes exist 

 who have never .seen open counti-y. These are armed, 

 not with spears, but ^vith wooden swords, and followed the 

 district Government exploring party for days in large 

 mobs. The Johnstone River is large and deep, and emp- 

 ties itself into the Pacific ten miles north of Moiu-Uyan 

 Harbour, gold and tin being found in imiumerable places 

 along its banks. The flora of this region is reporteil to 

 be of incretUble luxm'iance, and would weU repay a visit 

 by scientific men, as it possesses many shrubs and fruits 

 heretofore undescribed. 



Plucking Tea. — Mauy aud varied are the ideas ou 

 plucking as on all other departments iu tea gardens ; 

 some say pluck hard at first, others say let it run out 

 well, but we imagine there must be a medium iu this 

 as in all things. "We should first consider the numlier of 

 flushes a bush is likely to give ; some say 15, some say 8, 

 some say Ui, and .so on, but we do not think we are 

 far out iu putting them at say from 11 to 12 during 

 the season ; aud we will suppose that the first flush is al- 

 lowed to grow to si.x leaves and then thi'ee are removed, 

 leaving the 3 lower on the bush, or say 2 inches at the 

 very least of succulent young wood which soon lipens 

 into good red wood if the bush is vigorous. From the 

 axils of those leaves left another flush springs up, which 

 we may suppose is allowed to run to five leaves, when 

 two or three are removed, and say an inch of wood re- 

 mains, aud for the remaining flushes allowing only cue 

 leaf to be left, or say h inch wood for the 11 flushes, 

 we get, if plucked then, a growth of good wood of about 

 inches for the season, which we thiuk ample to prune upon 

 the foUomng season. "We imagine, if planters' experience 

 was taken upon the subject, the growth generally allowed 

 is even greater than this, and we contend if the first 

 flush is carefully removed and a good fomidation laid, it 

 is almost impossible to over-pluck a bush if in fairly 

 good health. That there is nothing more easily done if 

 the trees are not in vigorous health, we do not deny, 

 but if at all in good health, it is an extremely diflicult 

 thing to do after the end of May. if carefully plucked 

 up to that time. "What we recommend therefore to cm' 

 friends is not to be too eager in the commencement, else 

 you kiU the goose that lays the golden eggs, but to 

 "pluck very carefully for the first two months, aud the 

 result will not be disappouitiug. — hidi(jo Flanteis' Gazette, 



