jtWE i, iSSc.j 



TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 





Two methods have been proposed to obviat-.: these 



disjdvantag' I each has its warm advocates among 



manufacturers and consumer the main obje t 

 to • ii . ! . 1 1 ■ :, ■ -I. ;. •• the valuable food material of tin; 

 seed to betaken into the system in an easily assimilable 

 f i aiii 



The " a hod is to crush the nut in heated mills, 



and rub it into a smooth paste, which is mixed with 

 sugar ni'l starch. The addition of these substances 

 causes thi torn ion of an emulsion when boiling water 

 is added. This method gives a pleasant drink, easily 

 made, very nourishing, containing the whole substance 

 of fchi seed, But it has one disadvantage, namely, the 

 Sin at ease with which the cocoa can be adulterated. 

 In the cheaper varieties the starch and sugar are present 

 in large excess, while the amount of cocoa present is 

 very minute in quantity. Mineral colouring matter is 

 added for the purpose of improving the appearance. 



We analysed two well-known cocoas, selling at 

 sixteen and fourteen pence the pound, with results as 

 follows : — 



These may he considered as fair specimens of the 

 best of their class. Two other samples selling at Gd. 

 and fill, per pound furnished about 3 per cent of ash, 

 mainly oxide of iron and silica, and gave traces only 

 of phosphate. The beverage prepared from them was 

 the reverse of delectable. 



The other variety of so-called soluble cocoa (neither are 

 soluble iu the chemical sense of the word) is manufactured 

 by abstracting a portion of the fat. This is done by 

 grinding the nibs, and then pressing them in bags at a 

 sufficiently high temperature to cause the fat to melt, and 

 the greater portion of it is thus removed. That, which 

 remains in the bags can be finely powdered, and in 

 that state is readily diffusible through hot water. Sam- 

 ples L, II. III. are sold respectively at 2s. 8rf., 4s. 6d. 

 and 3s. 6<L the pound (about). 



No. III., though enjoying a very high reputation, gives 

 analytical results which seem to point to adulteration. — 

 Pharmaceutical Journal. 



RHEA FIBRE. 



Several applications for information regarding Rhea 

 have been received by the Agricultural and Horticultural 

 Society of India, owing no doubt to the attention excited 

 by the late Fibre-machine trials held under the auspices 

 of the Bengal Government. Such information as has heeu 

 at the disposal of th Soci eeri afforded, to applicants. 



Ti,'- following report on samples sent by Messrs. Begg, 

 Dunlop ;c Co.. prepared at Bareilly was furnished by the 

 President: — " I have carefully examined the following samples 

 of RheaFibre under a Ooddington Lens, and have pleasure 

 in reporting as follows: — No. I. — Fair to moderately long, 

 soft staple, greyish white color, produced by the application 

 ot chemicals to blench it, an excess of which has rendered 

 most of the Fibre exceedingly weak and towy in appearance, 

 so much so, that much of it would be reduced to tow 

 only in the combing process, to which it must be subjected 

 in . auufacture. No. 2. — Staple harsh, short, irregular, 

 uneven, tender to somewhat weak in strength, little towy, 

 a. id of but poor color; some sticky with original bark 

 adhering, and not freed from gumminess. "With care and 

 greater experience, which can only be gained by repeated 

 trial, these samples indicate that much better results may 

 be achieved. In this country no rommerical value 

 be bached ; <- them, but if further preparations were submit- 

 k . ...v> from the objectionable features I have pointed 



out, T would recommend that lai apl I 



London for a full report an fcioil hi 



remarks that "hitherto on this side of India all tho 

 Ehea grown has been propagated by cuttings and division 

 of roots as the seed has in -mi provi (fertili The follow- 

 ing communication is there] re of great interest, as should 

 Rhea he largely cultivated, the »lov process of propagation 

 by cuttings would prove e pensive, and a greal obstacle 

 to the industry cutting a fail start, itoek of 



plants avilable for th. purpose if limited:— "The small 

 packet of fthea Seed I left with you on the 25th instanl 

 was obtained from plants grown in my garden and they 

 G 'in we.e propagated from imported seed. As ft will be 

 interesting to the public to know that acclimatized Bced 

 germinates out here, you will be good enough to announce 

 the fact iu an early issue of the Society's Journal."— 

 Madras Mail. 



LIME AND LEMONS. 

 Sir.— In r. ply to your correspondent " Citrons " in your 

 issue of the 30th ultimo, allow me to stat-- that under tho 

 head of Limes (Citiiis Limetta) the lemon (Citric* Limoi 

 should he included; its fruitsare chiefly valuable on ai 

 of their juice, which is largely used .is an anti-scorbutic, 

 and if shipped to England will find a ready market. The 

 juice is obtained freed of its rind and seeds by pressure 

 in this country ; in the absence of machinery, tin'- common 

 lime squeezer answers the purpose very well. The juice 

 when extracted, should he allowed to stand for a few days 

 in a cool place, and then filtered and decanted; as it con- 

 sists chiefly, of citric acid dissolved in water with mucil- 

 age and extractive it is apt to undergo decomposition, 

 but with care may be preserved for a considerable period 

 by corking it up in full bottles, or by pouring a layer of 

 sweet or olive oil above it. Some subject it to a slight 

 ebullition. I have here preserved the lime juice for over 

 two years in well-corked and dammered bottles. Lime 

 juice contains 6 per cent citric acid, to which it owes its 

 sourness, and from which it might be readily separated 

 by a simple chemical process. This acid is used iu medicine 

 as a refrigerent and anti-scorbutic, and as a substitute 

 for the lime juice itself. Lime juice, in its fresh state, jm 

 much esteemed for flavouring punch, sherbet, and other 

 beverages. The rind or lime peel is of a light yellow 

 color, but becomes brown when dried ; it is used iu 

 medicine and confectionery. It also contains a volatile oil 

 which may be separated by distillation; the oil is used 

 in medicine, and is much esteemed for flavouring purposes 

 as well as a scent. The fruit of the lime is highly 

 esteemed by natives; they present it to their superiors 

 as well as friends on festive and ceremonial occasions. If 

 the lime be quartered half through and salted anil dried, 

 it may be preserved for long periods, and can he readily 

 converted into pickle by the addition of vinegar. The 

 salted lime finds a ready sale, at most villages, or it may 

 be exported; it may also be pickled in its own juice, anil 

 sent for sale or exported to England. The sweet lime is 

 chiefly used as a refrigerent, and during the hot weather 

 the natives drink the juice ; they also are partial to this 

 fruit, which to the European is tasteless and insipid. The 

 citron or Citrus medica, the rind of which forms a delicate 

 sweetmeat by being candied, is also made into marmalade 

 or chutney — the natives are partial to this fruit, which 

 they pickie chiefly in oil. The Shaddock or Pumplemose, 

 known scientifically as Citrus decumare, is believed to be 

 the "Forbidden Fruit," and is chiefly valued as a fruit. 

 Ic attains a large size, the rind abounds with a volatile 

 oil, which might be turned to account on these I 

 whilst the tree fruits largely, the branches breaking down 

 with the load, but they are worthless as a fruit; even the 

 best varieties are bitter and acrid, and totally in; 

 use, and I am glad to transfer them to the mam 

 to which they become a valuable addition by tin citric 

 acid and volatile oil they contain.— John Shoutt — I 

 Mail. 



"ROUGH ON RATS." 



Olears out vats, mice, roaches, flies, ants, bed-bugs, 

 beetles insects, skunks, chipmunks, gophers. Druggists. 

 W.E, Smith ,v Co., Madras, Sole Ag 



