134 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1887. 
If we are to believe a contemporary, a very im- 
portant use lias been discovered for the Erythroxylon 
Coca, It is nothing less than as a remedy for cholera. 
It appears that cholera of a very bad type broke out 
in Buenos Ayres, and the chewing of the leaves of the 
Coca is said to have cured many cases. The truth of 
this statement is worthy of investigation. — Indian 
Agriculturist. 
We note that part I of Dr. George King's monograph 
on the species of Ficus of the Indo-Malayan and 
Chinese countries has recently been issued. It deals 
with Palceomorpha and Urostiyma. Fig trees form 
such a prominent feature in tropical vegetation gener- 
ally, that we have no doubt this work will prove 
useful to botanists. This part is illustrated with nearly 
one hundred plates. — Indian Ayriculturist. 
A French Discovery of a Cube for Geape Mil- 
dbw. — Lime and sulphate of copper has been found, 
when syringed over grapes, as a perfect cure for 
mildew. The solution is thus prepared : From 30 
pounds to 59 pounds of lime and sulphate; each is 
dissolved in a barrel containing about 100 gallons of 
water. The operator dips a small heath broom in 
the liquid, and walking backwards sprinkles the vines. 
About 14 quarts to 1000 vines, the expense being 
a little over five dollars an acre. — Gardeners' Monthly. 
[We should think the application would be good for 
any kind of blight, insect or fungus.— Ed.] 
Cape Town Botanic Gardens. — This garden has 
a Government subvention of £500, increased by vol- 
untary subscription to £554. To make both ends meet 
the garden has to carry on a commercial speculation 
fatal to the true interests of the establishment, and 
one not calculated to ensure the goodwill of the 
legitimate traders. The Director continues to afford 
information on plants likely to be useful in the col- 
onies for sheep-feeding and other purposes. The 
herbarium is in good condition. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Germination of Brazil Nuts (Bertholletia excel" 
sa ). — "With a view to introducing into Queensland this 
valuable tree a large quantity of freshly imported seeds 
was purchased forKew from a London wholesale house, 
and at once packed in cases with moist soil, and for- 
warded to the Botanical Gardens at Brisbane. To test 
the seeds a sowing was made at Kew at the same time. 
Several of these germinated a few weeks after they 
were sown, whilst others have remained in the soil 
without showing any signs of growth till the begin- 
ning of this month. We have in this a proof that under 
certain favourable conditions the seeds of the Brazil 
Nut will keep fresh, and retain the power to germin- 
ate, for at least two years. As these seeds are generally 
considered among those which soonest lose their 
germinating power, owing to the large quantity of 
oil they contain, it is worth recording that they may 
be kept fresh for a period of two years at least. — Gard- 
eners' Chronicle. 
Weather. — A Belgian scientist, we are told, has 
been at the pains of calculating that the weather on 
our globe repeats itself in cycles of sixty-two years , 
He shows that the barometric and theraiometric read- 
ings in London for 1885, 1886 and 1887 are practically 
the same as those for 1823, 1824, and 1825, and he asks 
men with more means than he possesses to continue 
the comparison through the complete cycle of sixty- 
two years. Then he argues that " if we can refer to 
a year which had practically the same weather as 
that which we are experiencing this year, it is of a 
greatest importance that the astronomical authorities 
of each country should utilize that knowledge to the 
advantage of the commercial and agricultural industries 
of the community generally." He also proposes to 
show, by an examination of the moon's phases at an 
interval of sixty-two years, that not only has the 
moen an influence on the weather, but that the moon 
is the cause of the weather. — Indian Agriculturist. 
[Against which conclusion the majority of scientists 
protest as many do against the influence of sun-spots 
on our meteorology. But even the most advanced 
scientists have much to learn,— Ed.] 
Tonquin Beans. — The Tonquin, or, as it is some- 
times called, the Tonga Bean, the seed of Dipteryx 
odorata, Willd., is well known for its fragrance, re- 
sembling that of newly-mown hay, and hence it was 
much valued, at one time, for scenting snuff and at 
the present time for sachets and handkerchief perfumes. 
The tree is a native of Guiana, and grows to a height 
of from 60 to 70 feet, with a diameter of from 1 to 
2 feet- The wood is very hard and durable, and is said 
to bear a greater strain than any other wood in the 
colony. It is chiefly used for shafts, mill wheels, cogs, 
&c. The principal value of the tree, however, is for 
the seeds, the best qualities of which always fetch 
a high price in the English market, the finest Angos- 
tura Beans realising at the present time 8s. Gd. per 
pound wholesale, the second and third qualities fetch- 
ing 4s. and 2s. respectively. In a report on the trade 
of the State of Bolivar for the year 1886 it is stated 
that the crop of Beans was unusually large and far 
exceeded the crops of the previous five years. The 
quantity of Beans collected in the great forests of 
the territory of Caura and prepared for exportation 
exceeded 350,000 lb. weight. The total quantity ex- 
ported from Ciudad Bolivar, according to the returns 
of the agents of the parties who hold the exclusive 
privilege of collecting and exporting the vegetable pro- 
ducts of the above-named territory, was 298,000 lb. nett 
weight. Previous to the year 1883, before the col- 
lecting and exporting this valuable fruit became a 
monopoly, the merchants of Ciudad Bolivar paid the 
Government an export duty of 35 cents per pound — 
three and a half times as much as that now paid 
by the parties holding the exclusive privilege of ex- 
porting this seed. The quantities exported fluctuate 
considerably, as will be seen from the following state- 
ment:— 1882, 89,965 lb.; 1883, 153,138 1b.; 1884, 
150,681 lb. ; 1885, 35,325 lb. ; 1886, 298,000 lb.— Gard- 
eners' Chronicle. 
The Excise report of the North-Western Provinces 
and Oudh for 1887 has one remarkable feature about 
it. After reviewing the measures adopted to restrict 
the consumption of liquor by the poorer classes of 
the people, Sir Alfred Lyall says: — " In other Eastern 
countries these classes are large consumers of tea and 
coffee, and it may be conjectured that had these pro- 
ducts been indigenous to, or long cultivated in the 
Indian peninsula, they would by this time have assumed 
as important a place in the domestic economy of 
Indian households as they occupy in China, Thibet, 
or Turkistan. It is upon these considerations that 
the North- Western Provinces Government have en- 
deavoured to promote, by special measure, both the 
sale of dry tea in small packets, in the larger towns 
and cities of the North- Western Provinces and Oudh, 
and the establishment of tea-shops on the model of 
European coffee-houses. Some of the larger muni- 
cipalities have interested themselves in the experiment 
and the Department of Agriculture and Commerce was 
utilised to procure good tea at wholesale rates for 
the retail vendors. Sir Alfred Lyall observes with 
much interest the recent formation of an Association 
in Culcutta, which proposes to take the question up 
seriously and systematically in Bengal and in Upper 
India, and he is prepared to co-operate heartily with 
it should the Association see its way to extend oper- 
ations to any districts in these Provinces. The sub- 
ject at first sight seems remote from the administr- 
ation of Indian excise ; but the experience of European 
countries has shown that it has in reality an essential 
connection with it." This is the first instance of the 
kind we know of, where an administration has 
laid itself out to counteract the evils of drunkenness 
by promoting and encouraging the consumption of 
tea. We have already stated the causes which, in 
our opinion, have prevented the people of India 
becoming a nation of tea drinkers ; but a change 
has come over the spirits of the Indian tea-dealers, 
which cannot fail to have very wide reaching effects. 
We heartily wish Sir Alfred Lyall success in his en- 
deavours to promote a liking for tea among the people 
under his care, and hope that other administrations 
will not be slow to follow in his footsteps.— Indian 
Agriculturist, 
