jANDARy X, lese.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



5'i 



HOW TO MAKE POTASH. 



Baron Ferd. von JEueller, K.C.M.G., of Victoria, 

 writes as tollowa how to make potash: — The wood, 

 bark, branches, and foliage are burnt in pits sunk 3 feet 

 or 4 feet in the grounJ ; tlie ineincrction is continued 

 until the pit is almost filled witli ashes. Young 

 branches and leaves are usually much richer in potash 

 than the stem-wood, hence they should not lie rejecteil. 

 The ashes thus obtained are placed in tubs or casks 

 on straw over a false bottom. Cold water, in moderate 

 quantities, is poured over the ashes, and the lirst strong 

 potash liquid removed for evaporation in flat iron 

 vessels, while the weaker fluid is used for the lisiviation 

 of fresh a<-hes. While the evaporation proceeds, fresh 

 portions of strong licjuid are alted until the concentrat- 

 ed boiling fluid assumes a rather thiuk consistence. 

 At last, with mild heat and final constant stirring, the 

 whole is evaporaterl to dryness. This dried mass 

 ri'presents crude potash, more or less ini)iure, according 

 to tile nature of the wood employed. A final heating 

 in rough furnaces is needed to expel sulphur combin- 

 ations, water, and empyreumatic substances ; also to 

 decompose colouring principles. Thus pearlash is 

 obtained. Pure carbonate of potassa in crude potash 

 varies from -10 to 80 per cent. Experiments, so far as 

 they were instituted in the laboratory, have given the 

 following approximate result with respect to the 

 contents of potash in some of our most common 

 trees. The woods of the Casuarinas, or Ste-Oaks, as 

 well as th.at of the black or silver Wattle, are some- 

 what richer than the wood of the British Oak, but far 

 richer than the ordinary Pine woods. The stems of 

 the Victorian Blue Gum and the so-called Swamp 

 Tea-tree (Melaleuca eiicifolia) yield about as much 

 potash as Eu'-opean Beech. The foliage of the Blue 

 Gum proved particularly rich in this alkali, and as it 

 is heavy and easily collected at the sawmills, it might 

 be turned there to auxiliary proiitable account, and, 

 indeed, in many other spots of the ranges. In the 

 (Queensland coast country the ^langrove could be m.ide 

 to yield potash in inunense quantities, as it is richer 

 in this alkali than almost any other native tree or 

 shrub ; and even if the JIangrove were not used for 

 the manufacture of potash, the Ash being rich in this 

 valuable fertiliser, could be easily and economically 

 applied for manurial purposes. Of couise British 

 woodmen are aware that it is hopeless to compete 

 with the ext^-nsive mineral depo.sits in Germany, 

 whence most of the potash of commerce is now made. 

 — Forestry. 



♦ 



GINSENG IN THE COREA.* 



The most important product of this part of Oorea, 

 (Sont'ilo) is the drug known as ginseng, .=o highly 

 prized as a tonic by the Chinese. I visited [several 

 of the numerous ginseng gardens in this neighbour- 

 hood, and saw the plant at various stages of its 

 growth. It is gi'own frem seed which is sown in 

 March. The seedlings are planted out in beds raised 

 a foot above the level of the surrounding soil, 

 bordered with upright slates and covered in from 

 8Un and rain by sheds of reeds three or four feet 

 high, well closed in except towards the north side, 

 where they are left more or less open, according to 

 the weather. These sheds are placed in rows with 

 just room enough to walk between them. In the 

 first or second years the ginseng plant is only two 

 or three inches high, and has only two leaves. It 

 is trnnspl.drted frequently during this period. In the 

 fourth year the stem is about six inches high, with 

 four horizontal leaves standing out from it at right 

 angles, and in tiftli year a strong healthy plant has 

 reached matuiity. though it is more usual not to 

 take it up until it has reached the sixth season. Mould 

 containing jiienty of rotten leaves is the only manure 

 used. It has to be carefully guarded against thieves, 

 especially in the late stages of its growth, and in 

 CTery ginseng garden there is a shed raised high on 

 P'>Irs, where a watchman sits night and day. 



* From a Bepoit by Consul-General iUtoo. 

 65 



The ordinary ginseng is prepared by simply drying 

 the root in tlit^ sun, or, when the weather is un- 

 favourable, over a charcoal fire. To make the red 

 or clarified ginseng, the root is placed in wicker 

 baskets, which are put in a largo earthenware vessel 

 with a clos:''v-fitting cover, and pierced at the bottom 

 with holes. It is then placed over builins water and 

 steamed fur a longer or shorter time, accortiiug to 

 the age of the plant, four hours being an avt-rage 

 time. 



The export of this quality of ginseng is a strict 

 mon-^noly, which afl'or<ls a consiilcrable revenue, and 

 is Sii. I to be the king's personal pertpiisite. De:itli 

 is the punishme'it". for smuggling it out of the country ; 

 but in spite ul prohibition, considerable quantities 

 find their way abroad by illicit ehauneis. 



The annual amount exported to China is 202 

 piculs, which is vahied at forty nyang a catty, or, 

 say, forty dollars a picul <1.3:ji lb.). The white gin- 

 seng is worth about half as much. It ia the wild 

 ginseng for which enormous prices are sometimc^s 

 paid. Ginseng is also grown at Yong-san, in the 

 Province of Kyong-sangdo. — Fliarmacetttiaal Jovrnal. 



TOBACCO IN BURMA. 

 That the soil and climate of Burma are admirably 

 suited for the cultivation and curing of tobacci has 

 long been admitted, and it is very satisfactory to learn 

 that tiiere are uo,v good reasons to hope that the 

 cuUivation of tobacco is b"giiining to be popular and 

 to take root in tiie Province. The farm at Kayuktan 

 in the Hauth.iwadi ^listrict h.as been of special benefit 

 in this respect. The cultivators, both Burman ami 

 Karen, had free access at all times to the plantation. 

 Several cultivators in the immediate vi'-inity took to 

 the cultivation. They were preseutel with seed and 

 seedlings, and their plots were visited by the .Vssistmt 

 Director of Agriculture, who afforded them bo*h advio; 

 and assistance. The result was highly satisfactory ; 

 all got good crops, and one or two succeeded in raising 

 excellent tobacco. They were shown how to dry and 

 cure the tobacco. A large number of jieople flocked 

 in to verify what they had heard about tuc successful 

 cultivation of tobacco, and, after judging for them- 

 selves, no less than 500 or GOO landholders have 

 since started tobacco cultivation. It is believed that, 



1 by this new impetus, an additional area of something 

 like .500 acres has been brought under cultivation. 

 In other parts of the Province much is also being 

 done. In the !Ma-ubin Island, grants of land aggreg- 

 ating about 10,000 acres have been made to cultivators, 

 a considerable number of whom have agreed 'to 

 start tobacco cultivation. A small farm has also been 

 started on the Island ; and the cultivation and curing 

 will be carried on, as at Kyauktan, under the eyes 



' of the people, and it is hoped that results similar 

 to those obtained at Kyauktan may be achieveil. In 

 addition to the above measures, steps have been 

 taken to revive the cultivation and proper curing of 

 tobacco in Arakan. Mr. Roberts, formerly a tobacco 



I and cigar manufacturer in Kokonad:i, was deputed 

 to I'aletwa in .July liSfiL', to start a small plantation 

 of the indigenous tobacco and prepare as large a 

 supply of leaf as possible for trial in the local and 

 home markets. The object was to ascertain what 

 were the real quality and value of the K.aladan to- 



' bacco under proper treatment. The experiment wjs 

 successful. .Samples of this tobacco dried and eu-ed 

 at I'aletwi, and samples of American tol)acco 

 grown and cured at the Kyauktan farm, have been 

 sent to t'.vo large London tobacco importers ami 

 manufacturers for valuation and report, and a .sample 

 of both the Kaladan and Kyauktan leaf has been 

 sent to the Erench Government at the retpic-t of 

 the French Consul at Ilangoon. The London tobacco 

 manufacturers are, it appears, keen to find t ew source.s 

 of tobacco supply; and the French Government is 



j the largest single purchaser of foreign tobacco in 

 the worlil. It is hoped that, if th(^ reports from 

 these .sources arc satisf.ictory, a favourable outlet for 



1 the tobacco of Burni.i may be obtained. — Calcutta 

 Enylinhman. 



