Edible Products. 230 [April 1907. 



nished by a competent expert on tea, showing the quantities of the constituents of 

 the two species of Formosa Oolong tea solved in his analysis :— 



Constituents. Percentage. 

 Species of Teas. Fine . Common. 



Theine - - ... ... 1-968 1-933 



Tannin ... ... ... ... n-630 6 . 163 



Albumin ... ... ... ... 42-822 34-620 



Moisture ... ... ... ... 8 .g 33 n . 780 



Ash ••• - - ... 6-503 7-600 



The average production of Formosa teas through all the seasons of the vear 

 amounts to 20,000,000 pounds, and the declared value of Formosa teas exported to 

 Europe and America almost totals 10,000,000 pounds. The following figures show 

 the export of Formosa teas collected on the central market of Daito-tei (Tuatutia) 

 in the north of Formosa for the past seven years :— 



Season. 



Amount. 



1889 



16,346,440 



1900 



16,871,643 



1901 



15,934,951 



1902 



17,955,524 



1903 



20,073,417 



1904 



17,800,474 



1905 



19,641,430 



As the numerical figures in the above table show, the tea industry in 

 Formosa has now got on the right track of development and expansion. The 

 Government of Formosa, forseeing the possible prosperity of the tea industry in 

 years to come, and with a view to fostering its growth, had a few years ago 

 established a tea manufacturing experimental station at Ampei-chin, a central tea 

 producing district. The enterprise has proved a success. To tell the truth, the 

 amount of tea manufactured in this factory during the year 1005 totalled 150,000 

 pounds, of which 3,000 pounds were shipped direct to the United States and the rest 

 sold to the Daito-tei tea merchants by auction.— Tea and Coffee Trade Journal. 



Ranawara Tea. 



By C. Drieberg. 



This preparation, sometimes called " Matara tea" is made from the leaves or 

 flowers (or a mixture of both) of Cassia auriculata, a common weed in the dry 

 country, known to the Sinhalese as Ranawara, and to the Tamils as Ararat or Pon- 

 avarai. From a commercial point of view, the plant is valuable as a source of tanning 

 bark, but the medicinal use of the leaves dates back to a very remote period, and a 

 decoction of them is prescribed as a blood purifier and laxative, as well as in the 

 treatment of urinary disorders (particularly diabetis), and skin diseases. 



An examination by the late Mr. A. C. Dixon, Sience Lecturer, Royal College, 

 showed that the preparation contained 3'7170 of an alkaloid (not named), and 16-1770 

 of other nitrogenous substances, with 41*1470 of gum, tannin and saccharine matters. 



At the Agri-Horticultural Show held at Moratuwa, in August, 1904, the ''tea" 

 Was prominently brought to notice by Mr. Abraham De Mel of Panadure (since 

 deceased) who exhibited ic in packet form like ordinary tea (Thea). 



With a view to ascertain the chemical constituents of the preparation, I 

 forwarded samples as exhibited at Moratuwa to the Imperial Institute, in August^ 



