August i, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



119 



use of newer and better electric machines, an available 

 power of 7i H. P. would have to be reckoned upon, and 

 the work performed by such an arrangement would be 



much greater in proportion, so that 6.1 x '— = 9.15 times 



the work of 2 buffaloes can be done, that is the work of 

 IS buttaloes. 



The advantages, then of electric ploughing appear.s 

 clearly from these results. AVe have now only to answer 

 the question : How to apply it while observing the claims 

 of the Indian soils. If we consult the latest inventions 

 on agricultural appUances, then no doubt (leaving the costs 

 of purchase out of account) the two-machine system intro- 

 duced by John Fowler desKrves the preference by far 

 chiefly by the light and easily moveable portable engine. 

 Yet this system has a drawback that must not be left out 

 of account, namely the alternate inactivity of one of the 

 boilers. The two-engine system is also applied by Sie- 

 mens and Halske, but without this drawback, as the power 

 developed in one engine is alteruat<jly transmitted to one 

 of the ploughing machines. These ploughing-machines 

 consist each of an electric machine with coil, etc., and 

 are fit to be moved along or over the field-, their 

 weight is therefore as little as po.s.sible, the electric con- 

 nections are partly stationary, partly easily removable. 



The primary electric machine, through which the fore- 

 mentioned electric ploughing machines receive their motive 

 force, can be moved either by steam or water, according 

 to circumstances. The motive power, with the primary 

 electric machine, driven by it, may be quite stationary, 

 and derived from an existing steam-engine or from a 

 water-wheel ; it can also consist of a portable engine, 

 remaining on the road, so that its transport, as also the 

 supply of fuel and water, can be effected with the utmost 

 case. The wagons for the electric plouphing-machine are 

 entirely constructed of iron, therefore vt-ry durable, and 

 do not weigh much more than 3,000 kilogr. against 

 7-8,U00 kilogr. of a portable engine with appliances filled 

 with water. So here, too, there is a great economy of 

 weight. Kegardiug the costs of arrangement as described 

 above, we can give the following notes. They ousist : 



1st in 2 vehicles with electric machines, coils etc. com- 

 plete, arranged for ploughing a furrow iOO M. long and 

 provided with gear to move on so constructed, that ac- 

 cording to the desired horsepower to be evolved, they 

 may be removed to a distance of 1,000 Metres from the 

 primary engine. 



•.;''. In a primary electric machine wiih, which 900 

 revolutions evolves 10 H. P. of which, after deduction of 

 2-5 H. P. to surmount all resistances, 7^ H. P. remains 

 for the plough-labour. 



The eli-ctric steering arrangement, coils with isolated 

 conducting wire for connection with the machine, all 

 otheT conductors and appurtenances. 



3^. The balance-plough with four shares, each 29'5 c.M. 

 suitable for the available labour of 7J H. P. 



4^. 400 Metres of conducting-material, for connecting 

 the two vehicles. 



0°. Belts and appurtenances, small material, instru- 

 ments etc. 



The cost of this complete is estimated at/ 15,000, the 

 expensf? of transport to Java included. 



If then you have, at a distance of about 1,000 M. 

 from the land to be ploughed, an available force of 20 a 

 25 H. P., you wi'Uld, with a dhect outlay of / 15 000 at 

 once, and a constant expense of about 10 per cent, for 

 interest and amortisation, besides occasional expenses, 

 not here to be sp^-cifi.-d, for wages, fuel, etc., obtain the same 

 result as by purchasing 18 buffaloes with 9 ploughs includ- 

 ing interest and amortisasioti, maintenance, food and wages. 



■\Ve hear that the " Neilerlandsche Maatschappij voor 

 Electriciteit en Metallurgie'' at the Hague who represent 

 the firm Siemens & Halske for NetlicTland and the Col- 

 onies, are willing to furnish any further details that may 

 be desired. — Jndutu Mercut-y. 



TEA AT HANKOW, 



There are some things which improve upon a fuller 

 acquaintance. The first crop teas of this season are not 

 amongst those thinjja. Xevtr, perhaps, were first impres- 

 sious more correct than they have proved themselves to 

 be this year as regards the leaf : for no one will question 

 the inferiority of the crop. Nevertheless it is by no 

 meins the worst crop we have seen of late yeais. It is 

 not a pleasant thii'^ to have to admit that samples of 

 one's earlier purchases are not today as good as they 

 were a fortnight ago ; still, such is tlie fact. The I\ing. 

 chows have not improved in canister; or rather, with 

 very few exceptions, they have palpab'y deteriorated. 

 The " weatheriness 'before alluded to has developed. 

 The teas, in fact, are going through " no slow gradations 

 of decay," and some shippers will soon have an experi- 

 ence of what is known as the " calamitous invoice." 



The Hohows are tender plants, and will bear no 

 handling. In cup they are very "curio," and 

 it is difficult to understand what virtue that 

 enlightened Americia cousin finds in these most 

 unsatisfactory of teas. Tlie Keemuns aluue main- 

 tain their "pride of place." Inta- ci-cos monoeulus 

 rex est. In other words these teas " star away " 

 from the vulgar crowd. Th?y are the finest tca^ <if 

 the year, as regards "head chops," and the upper 

 medium class is ripening up. But nothing good can be 

 said of the lower giades, which are s-knny, choppy, 

 dusty, and often sour. Rtd leaf Twankays they have 

 been called. 



Amongst the Hankow district teas, Towyuens alone 

 are fit to be placed in class A. The head chops are 

 very pretty to look at, and full, strong, tarry teas 

 besides. But the later packs are already deteriorating 

 in canister ; sure herald of coming gri<f. There are 

 some shippers who have tuk n a " view " in the Oanfu 

 department, and who, in some iiistances, have obtained 

 good value for their moiipy ; but it is scarcely 

 ntcessary to refer to the other alrealy loo numerous 

 cliss'-s of Oooahm tea who hide tfie wolf, the irrepress- 

 ible SUuntam, in the sheep's clothing of pnrtiy names 

 like Lowyong, Li-ling, Wing-fung, Kolsew, and a 

 crowd of otheis. If it were not for the Russian buyers, 

 Oopack teas would be nobody's children. They are a bai d 

 lot, and demand a very appreciative palate liegarding 

 prospects, the early shipments ought to pay, because : 



1st. — I'hi-y wer.- not dear. 



Sod. — They go to a bare market in London. 



3^d. — They will arrive at home shorily a'ter the 

 trade has proof that the first crop from Hankow is 

 nearly 5, UO,000 lbs. short. Th- total settl ni. iits to 

 date are 713,236 halfchesta or 81,000 half-che-ts less 

 than at same tune last ye.^r ; a diflTereuce which it 

 setms now imp issible to re<luce. 



The jiurchabes f >r England are 540,000 half-cliests or 

 about 47 000 tons ; not qii,te <-noii:ih to satisfy the 

 tonnage supply of the season. — Shanyhai Courier. 



FLIES ANO BUGS. 

 Beetles, insects, roaches, ants, bed-bugs, rats, mice, gophers, 

 chipmunks, cleared out by " Rough on Rats, 



W. E. Smith & Co., Madras, Sole Agents. 



TEA, CHARCOAL &c. IN NORTH FORMOSA. 

 18th May. — Queer weather; quite cool again ; ther. 

 71 to lb; wind, strange to say, is north-east still; 

 generally caim in the mornings, and a brei z! abi ut 

 10 am. Two steamers rutaide : tlie "Welle" from 

 the nu.th and tlie "Ingiaban" from the fui.th. No 

 lead oil board these ships. .Some 70 000 half-chests 

 of tea down anfl only had for al.ont 4,000 half-chests. 

 Chinese packers .ire buying up leaden joss candle- 

 sticks, etc, to rake leulen linings to lea-chests, and 

 Hshermcu are sa'd to be parting with the leaden weights 

 attached to their i ets lor Hame purpose'. lead last 

 Bta-ou was sold at about $(> per picul ; at the I egin- 

 ning of the pieS'^nt season tahs were made at .$0 

 .$10 per picul. In the b-ginning of the pre.'etit month 

 §l(i per picul miglit have been obtained. Today 

 packers are willing to pay, people say, |20 per picul. 



