November i, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



449 



Chinese FoRESTS.-r-The remark is made by a Texas 

 newspaper that " one of the strongert arguments in favour 

 of preserving forests is to be found in Chinese history. 

 The terrible famine which raged in that country several 

 years ago, wrs brought about by the destruction of the 

 few forests left standing, thereby rendering it impossible 

 for the solie to retain the little rain that fell from time 

 to time." — Journal of Forestry. 



Verbena. — The well-known fragrant, sweet-scented lemon 

 verbena (Lippia citriodorfi) is regarded among the Spanish 

 people as a fine stomachic and cordial. It is either used in 

 the form of a cold decoction, sweetened, or five or six leaves 

 are put iuto a teacup, and hot tea poured upon them. 

 The author of a work, *' Among the Spanish People," says 

 that the flavour of the tea thus prepared '' is simply delicious, 

 and no one who has drunk his pekoe with it will ever 

 again driuk it without a sprig of lemon verbena." And 

 be further makes a statement, more important than all 

 the rest, if true, that is. that if this decoction be used 

 one need " never suffer from flatulence, never be made 

 nervous or old-maidish, nevor have cholera, diarrhcoa or 

 loss of appetite. — Si/daei/ Mail. 



A New Fibre Plant. — The Queendander gives, in its 

 agricultural columns, an accoimt of a new fibre produc- 

 ing plant which is said to be attracting great attention 

 in America just now. It is there known as bear grass, 

 and Spanish dagger, and is said to yield largely, requir- 

 ing no cvdtivatiug after its third year, growing for 100 

 years and producing the strongest coarse fibre in the 

 world. Such ample recommendations as these are likely 

 to cause people to pay more than ordinary attention to 

 this plant, and we can only hope that it may turn out 

 to be as good as it is reported to be. The experience 

 of Queensland with fibre producing plants has not, we 

 regret to say, been a very fortunate one. Mr. MacPherson 

 of Brisbane has proved himself an adept in the prepar- 

 ation of beautiful show oases of fibres grown in this 

 colony, but as yet we have heard of no financially suc- 

 cessful operations in the way of fibre growing, ^yhen 

 sida retusa was first introduced to us, its advent was 

 heralded by a description of its economic value very 

 similar to that given of bear grass, but practically it has 

 been found that sida is one of the greatest ciu-ses of 

 Queensland agriculture. In order that our experiences in 

 this direction may not be repeated with bear grass, we 

 would suggest that the Government should have an acre 

 or so of it grown in Brisbane as an experiment. If it 

 proves equal to what is asserted of it, there would be no 

 difficulty then in adding bear grass fibre to the list of our 

 products ; if on the other hand it proves a second sida, 

 we should like to have it made criminal for any one to 

 grow it. — Australasian. 



The Quillaia Tree. — Attention has recently been th-awn 

 to the commercial value of the quillaia tree {Quillaia 

 saponaria), a native of Chih', thv. bark of which has been 

 known for a considerable time both in this country and 

 on the Continent, for the saponaceous principle which 

 it contains. In consequence of the trees ha\'ing been cut 

 down to olitain the bark, there is much reason to fear 

 that the supply may fail, particularly if the demand increases. 

 Quillaia bark it seems, is very extensively used by wool 

 and silk manufacturers both in this country and in France, 

 in consequence of its efficacy as a powerful cleansing 

 agent. Oiu- contemporary, the Colonies and India, in drawing 

 attention to this tree, remarks. " that a decoction prepared 

 by placing a small piece of this bark and soaking it over 

 night in water will remove in a minute or two grease 

 from articles of clothing and leave the cloth clean and 

 fresh as if it was new. It may also be used for cleansing 

 hair-brnshes and other similar purposes, under conditions 

 in which soap and other alkalies are powerless. It is also 

 .suitable for a hairwash, and is said to be largely used 

 by French hairdressers, though the mode of preparation 

 is kept secret. Such a tree ought to be invaluable in 

 Australia, New Zealand, Cape Colony, and other colonies 

 where wool growing is a staple industry." Among the 

 uses to which this bark is put may be mentioned that 

 of a preparation for giving an artittial froth or head to 

 ales, a very small quantity put into beer that has become 

 dead causing it to be covered with froth. The bark occurs 

 in commerce in two forms, that of irregular pieces as taken 

 from the tree, and in the form of powder. — yature. 



Packixg Peaches for Distant MAitKET.s.— Pick peaches 

 carefully. Let them be well coloured, but firm, not soft. 

 Wrap each peach in stiff brown paper, not in tissue paper. 

 The former is more elastic, and prevents bruising. In 

 packing lay thom in with the greatest care. Fill the box 

 full so that the peaches cannot shake about. Put a layer 

 of clean fine oat straw at the bottom of the box, and 

 paper between the other layers and over the top one. 

 — Californinn. Horticulturist. 



Preparation of Coffee. — Mr. ClemenfWragge, F.R.O.S., 

 in a recent number of the English Jfecfmnic, gives the 

 following recipe for the preparation of coffee in tin;- Arabian 

 fashion. Koast some raw nibs, and pound them down ; 

 when your water is boiling jiut in the coffee so treated 

 and stir it about. Next place the pot again on the fire, 

 and carefully manipulate it, if occasion requires, till sim- 

 mering sets in, when you must immediately remove it, and 

 pour the contents iuto the cup. Milk or cream should never 

 be^ added, but a little soft brown sugar may be used to 

 suit the taste ; also a little cardamom seed. Smoking a 

 pipe of Turkish tobacco is only needed to give additional 

 flavouring to your sips, and to transport you temporarily 

 to the delights of the Muslim's paradise. 



The Lao industry is one peculiarly adapted to the natives 

 of this country. It is one which requires no forethought 

 or preparation. The villager has nothing to do so far as 

 that work is concerned, but remain at home till the crop is 

 ready forgathering. Nature does all but collect the harvest. 

 Such is the manner of conducting this industry common 

 to the mofussil villager. If he had a spark of energy or 

 enterprise, he would assist nature, and thereby materially 

 increase his own income. The way to assist nature is to 

 take small twigs bearing insect cells, and fasten them 

 to trees liitherto unvisited by the insects. All he would 

 require to do would be to break off a small twig, and 

 carry it to a tree or bush in the neighbourhood, fastening 

 it to a branch with a little grass or straw to prevent 

 its being blown off, until the young spawn had had time 

 to attach themselves to their new halntatiou. A few hours' 

 work of this kind would very materially increase his 

 harvest. It appears that the cultivation of the lac insect 

 has taken root in the Punjab, especially in the district 

 of Hoshiarpore. The Punjabee with his characteristic energy 

 is fast inoculating — if we may use the term — the forest 

 in the neighbourhood of his village with the spawn of 

 the lac insect; and one great advantage comiected with 

 this work is, that the return is pretty sure and is certain 

 to be speedy. The industry might be pursued all along 

 the Sewalik range, where the height does not reach a 

 frosty climate. The trees most frequented by the lac insect 

 are the peepul (Ficus rdiyiosa)^ the ber {Zizijj^hus jujuha^) 

 the banyan (Ficus indica), and various other trees common 

 to those districts. The lac produced on the her is the 

 best, and this is a fortunate circumstance, as the tree is 

 as common in LTpper India as a hedgerow at home. Before 

 the mode of producing this lac was understood, a pre- 

 judice existed against it, as it was not known to be of 

 animal origin, but was supposed to be the result of a 

 disease of the tree, and therefore unclean. It is astonishing, 

 however, how these prejudices vanish in the face of aprofit- 

 able industry. The only difficulty at present found in the 

 Punjab, is the greed of the collectors, who would leave noth-' 

 ing but stumps, thus to a certain extent slaying the goose 

 that lays the golden eggs. The ber has been found to 

 possess considerable Wtality, and does not resent very 

 heavy ])runings, but supplies the place of lopped twigs 

 with unfailing certainty the following season. The mode 

 of prepiration is simple, and the appliances of no great 

 cost. It is crushed in the denk>\ the particles of wood 

 disappear on the powder being thrown into water, the 

 wood immediately floats, and is removed at once. The 

 powder is then thoroughly washed, and the lighter particles 

 laid asi le for making lac for bangles, &c.; the header 

 particle';, lying at the bottom of the tubs, are pres'^ed into 

 cakes ti) make the lac-dye of commerce. The light powder 

 is put in a cotton bag which is rolled tight, and held in 

 front or over a hot fire ; the lac melting exudes through 

 the bag, and is carefully collected and spread over hot 

 surfaces, to form cakes, known as -heU-lac. The indus- 

 tries might all be made by-work fo; the farmer, as their 

 prosecution need not interfere with his more important 

 occupation. — Friend of India. 



