196 : AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 
principle, and the inhabitants of the island of Sumatra prefer an infusion 
of the leaves to that of the berries. 
Coca.—The leaves of Hrythroxylon cocaare largely used as masticatory 
and sometimes as an infusion by the natives of South America. The 
plant forms a shrub six to eight feet high, somewhat resembling the 
hawthorn. The leaves are of thin texture, but opaque, oval, and strongly 
marked with veins, of which two, in addition to the mid-rib, run parallel 
to the margin. 
The use of coca in Peru is a custom of great antiquity, and is sup- 
posed to have originated with the Incas. It forms an article of com- 
merce among the Indians, and when on a journey they carry with them 
a sinall bag of the dried leaves foruse. The leaves, chewed in moderate 
doses of four to six grains, excite the nervous system, and enable those 
who use them to make great muscular exertion, and to resist the effects 
of an unhealthy climate. In larger doses it occasions fever, hallucina- 
tions, and delirium, but when used with discretion the Indians travel 
for seyeral days with no other food or sustenance than that derived from 
the constant chewing of coca leaves, and it is largely used by the workers 
in silver mines. Aithough the remarkable effects of coca have been long 
known, no chemical analysis of the leaves has been made until quite 
recently. Dr.-Niemann has shown that an organic base exists in them, 
analogous to caffeine in coffee and theine in tea, to which has been given 
the name of cocaine. 
Guarana.—Thisremarkable product is prepared from the fruit of Paulli- 
nia sorbilis, (Sapindacee,) a plant found in the valley of the Amazon. The 
fruit is gathered when ripe, and the seeds are either roasted or thoroughly 
dried in the sun, and reduced to a fine powder by pounding them with 
stones or wooden mallets. The powder is then mixed with water to 
form a paste, which is molded into flat bricks or cakes, or formed into 
cylindrical rolls six or eight inches in length, which, when dried, become 
exceedingly hard and solid. In this form it can be preserved for a long 
time, and is known as guarana. Itis prepared for use by grating or 
scraping a small portion into powder and mixing it with water. A table- 
spoonful of the powder, mixed with a pint of water, forms a refreshing 
beverage. Almostevery traveler supplies himself with astock of guarana, 
and also with a rasp for grating it, usually the palate bone of a large 
fish, which has a rough surface, and upon which the guarana is reduced. 
lt has. properties, when taken internally, analogous to tea and coffee, 
producing a stimulating effect. Itis highly tonic and febrifuge, and is 
esteemed by many to have properties equal to quinine. It is largely 
used by the Brazilian miners, and they consider it a preventive of ail 
manner of diseases, and it has been successfully employed by French 
physicians in cases of headache. 
The presence of an alkaloid, which he termed guaranine, was discovered 
some years ago by Dr. Martius, of Erlangen, but its identity with theine, 
from analysis of Dr. Stenhouse and others, was soon established. It is 
at present the richest known source of theine, and adds another to the 
incidents, so puzzling in human history, of the discovery of this quality 
in plants least likely to be suspected, such as the leaves of tea, coca, and 
coffee, the seeds of cola and coffee, the leaves and twigs of the various 
' South American ilexes, and other plants that have so wonderful a 
restorative effect on the nervous system; and this is not a mere vague 
notion, such as is the case with many other plant virtues, but depends 
upon the presence of a chemical principle, the operation of which can be 
safisfactorily explained. 
Guarana contains 5.07 per cent. of theine; good black tea, 2.13; va- 
a 
