132 
Mr. Thiselton- PA desires hey express his thanks to the Secretary of 
State for the prompt manner in whi aa a wishes have been met in this 
matter, and he oid venture to that the obligatiod s of Kew 
be conveyed to Licutenant-Colonel Stabe for the adsidegpte "r in 
which he forwarded the specimens = this country. 
I have, &e. 
(Signed) D. Mon 
déoietaüt Director. 
Sir Villiers Lister, K.C.M.G., 
Foreign Office. 
Messrs. IDE AND CHRISTIE, to ROYAL GARDENS, Kew. 
72, Mark Lane, nd 
Sir, e 27, 1892. 
WE duly received your favour of the 18th i. accompanying 
a "oe of fibre from a plant known as the * Aloe of Somali-land." 
racter it strongly resembles the best Sisal hemp, with which we 
should hare have classed it, but for your statement that it is derived from a 
ansev 
With "ine: exception of its colour, its p is perfect, and even 
as it is, we value it to-day at 257. per ton. We are of opinion that if 
care were taken to improve the colour, a on diray higher price would 
be readily obtainable, perhaps as much as 507. per ton, if a pure white 
fibre could be attained Hiho loss of wu m as "pe 
(Signed) oe AND CHRISTIE, 
D. Morris, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., 
Royal Gardens, Kew. . 

CCXLVII.—PARAGUAY TEA. 
(Ilex paraguariensis, St. Hil.) 
The Pangey tea or Aat de Maté is one of the most important 
whole population of South America. The active principle found in the 
leaves is the alkaloid known as caffein, identical with that found in tea 
and coffee. There is also, according to Dr. T. Cranstown Charles (who 
published a m on the subject in Vm wm tM i M July 
Furth 
1890, p. 203), a tannic acid present ar urther, 
" although nlt is closely ailied to calor, it rye up i dii iin principle 
* jin a different way, and it is slower than coffee in yielding up its 
+}: ” 
Pee separated, coarsely ground rude mills, and packed in skins 
and leather bags. The leaves are infused in small tea-pots, and the te ie 
is sucked e a bombilla or pi with wire net-work or — 
