330 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



FNov. 2, i88j. 



Mr.s. Atzf.roth, who is said to have raised the 

 first col'fee in the United States, now lias twenty-five 

 flourishing coffee trees on her i^lantation at Manatee, 

 Florida. — American Grnrer. 



A New Sifter. — We would direct attention 

 to a very cleverly contrived tea-sorting machine, 

 the invention of Mr. Vietor Miiller, of the Borelli 

 Tea Co. It is called the Borelli Tea Sifter, and, 

 judging from the certificates obtained by Mr. 

 Miiller from managers who have used it, it is a 

 decided acquisition to tea machinery. It gives 

 less trouble and does quicker work than any other 

 sifters, and one great advantage in it ie the ab- 

 sence of that deafening noi.se and lieavy dust 

 which render a sorting-house a Pandemonium. A 

 trial of this sifter should inevitably lead to its 

 adoption. — Indian Tea Gazette. 



The Yield of Tea in Java. — The yield of tea in 

 Java is nearly double that of Indian gardens, but 

 although Java teas are finer in appearance than 

 Indians, they lack strength in the cup. Some very 

 good prices have lately been obtained for Java teas, 

 their appearance being much in their favour. Java 

 teas used to be packed in a somewhat similar manner 

 to Chinese, but from many estates packages are now sent 

 forward plain, to resemble Indian chests. — JU.Mail, 

 [The average for Indian gardens being '605, it follows, 

 if this statement is correct, that the Java average is 

 610 lb. per acre. But we should like to see the 

 statement confirmed. As to sending Java tea away 

 in boxes resembling those from China, we may 

 mention that from Mr. Kerkhoven's estate at 

 Sinagar, we took specimens of paper coverings for 

 the chests on which were lithographed Chinese 

 designs, the printing being done in the factory. — Eu.] 



Calcutta and the Indian Tea Industry are thus 

 noticed by Mr. Thomas Farr, in an account con- 

 tributed to the local " Times " of a trip to the 

 Indian tea districts : — 



The streets of Calcutta are in most cases a disgrace 

 to such a wealthy city, and the "metal," which is 

 brought over from Ceylon and Bombay by ships as 

 ballast, is only imperfectly blinded with brick-dust. 

 There is, however, an air of wealth about the whole 

 place which cannot but strike one most forcibly, and 

 tea appears to be an important factor in this appar- 

 ent prosperity. Carts laden with tea are met with 

 everywhere, and in the large sheds along the jetties 

 enormous piles of tea chests are awaiting shipment. 

 In every street of the European quarter of the city, 

 names of tea companies engraved on marble slabs 

 are seen near the palatial offices of the agents, and 

 I caimot help endorsing the opinion of the licad of 

 one of the leading houses in Calcutta, that in a few 

 years Colombo will acquire a large share of this 

 prosperity. The high yield of our Ceylon estates, 

 and the high prices obtained for our teas, are at- 

 tracting considerable attention in Calcutta, and are 

 viewed with some alarm by those interested in 

 Darjeeling, but it is believed that the Dooars, Cacliar, 

 Sylhet andj Assam will hold their own against Ceylon, 

 both in yield and in the quality of their teas. One 

 can only hope it may be so from increased consump- 

 tion, and that there is every reasonable prospect of 

 this must be conceded. At present tea has not 

 found its way to any extent amongst the enormous 

 native population of India, whilst the inliabitants of 

 Thibet within easy reach of Darjeeling draw all 

 their supplies from China. It is the winter which 

 prevails in India during five months of the year 

 which should give Ceylon priority in yield, for, if 

 in seven months, four or five niaunds per acre is 

 secured in India, surely 10 months' plucking will do 

 as much for Ceylon. I should not wish it to be 

 thought that I write this in .any spirit of rivalry. 

 Far from it indeed, for, after the cordial hospitality 

 with which I w'as everywhere received, I should 

 appear ungrateful, but I merely express my convic- 

 tions, and I can only hope there will be room in the 

 world's markets for us all. 



Wild Bieds as Insect Destroyers. — With reference 

 to a resolution passed at a meeting of the Trinidad 

 Agricultural Society, we understand that a communic- 

 ation has been received by the Secretary to the 

 effect that the Acting Colonial Secretary has issued 

 instructions to the Wardens and Police authorities 

 with a view to strictly enforcing the provisions of the 

 Wild Birds Protection Ordinance of 1881, which was 

 taken from the English statute on the same subject 

 (43 and 44 Vic, chap. 35). — Coloniex et India. 



Salt for the Throat,. — In these days, when diseases 

 of the throat are so universally prevalent, and in so 

 many cases fatal, we feel it our duty to say a word 

 in behalf of a most effectual, if not positive, cure 

 for sore throat. For many years past — indeed, we 

 may say during the whole of a life of more than 

 forty years — we have been subject to a dry hacking 

 cough, which is not only distressing to ourselves 

 but to our friends and those with whom we are 

 brought into business contact. Last autumn we were 

 induced to try what virtue there was in common 

 salt. We commenced by using it three times a 

 day — morning, noon, and night. We disolved a 

 large tablespoonful of pure table salt in about 

 half a small tumblerful of water. With this we 

 gargled the throat thoroughly just before meal-time. 

 The result was that during the entire winter we were 

 not only free from coughs and colds but the dry 

 hacking cough had entirely disappeared. We attrib- 

 ute the satisfactory results solely to the use of salt 

 gargle, and most cordially recommend a trial 

 of it to those wdio are subject to disease 'of the 

 throat. Many persons who have not tried the salt 

 gargle have the impressions that it is unpleasant, 

 but after a few days' use no person who loves a 

 nice clean mouth and a first-rate sharpener of the 

 appetite will abandon it. — The Monsehold. 



A Chakcoal-iliking Kiln. — In Ceylou as well as 

 Southern India, the Moreau Charcoal kiln, costing 

 about R700 to E7o0, may be found useful. Mr. 

 Gamble, Conservator of Forests, in api^lying for 

 one through the Madras Government, stated that 

 the return of charcoal to timber would be 2.5 per 

 cent. We quote as follows : — 



I have the honor to submit copy of an office note with 

 endorsement to the Collector of Nilgiris, No. 8-C, of 4th 

 JMay, with his reply as well as eiiclnsures, being (1) the 

 translation of a tetter from Messrs. Bichon and Co. of 

 Paris, and (2) the description of a clojied irou charcoal- 

 making kiln, and to ask tliat the Board will either 

 accord sanction to my purchasiug one of the kilns for 

 experiment or send indent for it on Her Majesty's 

 Secretary of State in the prescribed manner iu such a 

 way that it may be received at the beginning of next 

 official year. "NVith the Bo.ird's approval the fuuds 

 neces.sury will be provide'! in the bfclget for 1880-8"; 

 this year they would not be available. 2. In reg.iid to 

 the Collector's remarks as to the amount of wood one 

 machine would take, 1 have the honor to say that the 

 couttnts of the kiln would be 200 cubic feet nearly, so 

 that, reckoning 70 cubic fict of slacked fuel to the ton, 

 it would hold nearly 3 tons, and give at least oiie-fourth 

 or 15 cwt. of charcoal. 3. The purchase of the ap- 

 paratus is, 1 confess, but an experiment. So far as can 

 be judged by the account of it, it appears to me to be 

 likely to prove very useful and to save the trouble and 

 damage tu the ground which result fi-om the ordinary 

 sy.stem, while giving a better outturn and also a con- 

 siderable quantity of tar. If it proves successful, it 

 will make it possilde to utilize the produce of forests 

 now too distant for working, and more especially in 

 the Nilgiris to make the produce of the Oooiioor plant- 

 ations, for which there is at present very little demands 

 and where good flat })laces for ordiuary charcoal kiln, 

 are very difficult to find, available for the supply of 

 Ootacaraund and even of places in the plains. If it 

 proves as successful as I anticipate, 1 expect that the 

 accruing products, tar, &a., will alone pay for its costs 

 the first year. 



