October i, 1887.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
279 
ArPi.ES. — It is stated that by a careful analysis it 
has been found that Apples contain a larger amount 
of phosphorus or brain food than any other fruit 
or vegetable, and on this account they arc very im- 
portant to sedentary men who work with their brain 
rather than muscles. They also contain the acids 
which arc needed every day, especially for sedentary 
men, the action of whose liver is sluggish, to elimin- 
ate elfete matters, which, if retaiued in the system, 
produce inaction of the brain, and indeed of the 
whole system, causing jaundice, sleepiness, scurvy, 
and troublesome disease of the skin. — Indian Gardener. 
Mb. Cochran's Analysis of Green Tea 
Leaves is interesting but confessedly tentative and 
to a certain extent incomplete, so that we must 
look for full and fully reliable information to the 
results of the further analyses likely to be made. 
A question will arise in many minds how far the 
sun-drying and oven-baking processes described by 
Mr. Cochran as preliminaries to his ohemical ex- 
amination assimilated the green leaves to the con- 
dition of the roasted tea of the breakfast table ? 
The large proportions of potash, phosphoric acid 
and theine obtained are striking. In the case of 
dried Ceylon tea, results obtained at Melbourne 
were as follows, being the averages of 2G specimens 
analyzed : — pekoe. 
Mineral ash . . . . 4'71 
Extract 45'UO 
Solublo salts .. .. 3-16" 
Theme (only) .. .. 1-81 
PEKOE SOUCHONG. 
Mineral ash . . . . 4'78 
Extract 45-11 
Soluble Baits .. .. 1-06 
Theine (only).. .. 3-31 
SOUCHONG. 
Mineral ash .. 4'72 
Extract 4.*VG8 
Soluble salts .. .. 8*10 
Theiuo (only) .. 1*79 
It will thus bo seen that, if Mr. Cochran's results 
are fully reliable the proportion of tho element of 
theine, whiclr is the characteristic constituent 
of tea, is very considerably lessened by the 
process of manufacture from green leaf to 
dry. There are other differences, such as 
the division into soluble and insoluble ash, and 
the somewhat higher total in the case of the green 
leaf. The proportion of potash takes us somewhat 
by surprise. It is equal to the average of that salt 
in coffoo. 
Analyses op Cinchona Bark. — At the annual 
meeting of the British Pharmaceutical Conference, 
held in Manchester on Aug. 2'Jth, wo learn from 
tho Pharmaceutical Journal that, "in a com- 
munication on Quinological Work in tho Mad- 
ras Cinchona Plantations, Mr. David Hooper 
supplied another convenient summary of results 
obtained in further experiments carried out by him 
in his capacity of quinologist to the Madras Go- 
vernment. The Orst series of twelve analyses re- 
ferred to showed that bark from trees of the same 
age and growing in tho same situation might vary 
in alkaloidal strength, the iigures ranging from 
1"75 per cent to 3!I0 per cent of quinino, and from 
none to 01G per cent of quinidine. It also seems 
probablo that there is no advantago in raising only 
one stem from a coppiced treo. Bark from tho 
samo twolvo treef, examined in each consecutivo 
month, showed that in tho six months next fol- 
lowing tho original stripping thoro was a decrease 
of alkaloids in tho bark left, as if tho troe had 
suffered in this respect from the shook of tho 
operation ; but in the sovonth month recovery had 
well set in, and by the twelfth the Uik waj richer 
than it had been a year before. Incidentally it 
was also observed that March is the month in 
which cinchona bark appears to be richest in alkal- 
oids. Some further experiments as to the effect 
of manuring cinchona trees seems to show that 
bone manure and cattle manure are best suited 
for the purpose, though the improvement of the 
bark in quinine was in no case more than 14-58 
per cent. Another experiment as to the extent to 
which renewal of bark can be profitably carried 
appears to show that the maximum in the case of 
a hybrid Ledger plant had been reached with the 
third year's renewal, although the fourth renewal 
still resulted in a rich bark." 
Improved Tea Machinery. — About two years ago a 
lively correspondence took place in these columns 
upon the manufacture of tea on " scientific " prin- 
ciples. Messrs. A. and J. Main & Co., of Glasgow, 
it will be remembered, took a prominent part therein. 
Since that time Messrs. A. and J. Main & Co., in 
conjunction with their co-patentee Mr. Dick, have 
been engaged in making elaborate experiments, both 
at home and at a tea garden in India, with the 
view of perfecting certain machinery for the realis- 
ation of their views. Last year Mr. Dick went to 
India with a full set of specially constructed machin- 
ery ; and after making a series of careful experi- 
ments and observations upon a tea garden, he re- 
turned home feeling sure that only some minor 
changes in the appliances were necessary to bring 
success within measurable distance. The necessary 
mechanical changes were made, and Mr. Dick returned 
to India to complete his experiments. We are glad 
to learn that a telegram has this week been re- 
ceived from him, to tho effect that his trials this 
season havo proved "satisfactory." This subjoct is 
ono which cannot of course be exhausted in a tele- 
gram, so for fuller particulars we must await the 
arrival of detailed information by letter. Meantime, 
wo understand that the scope of Messrs. Main and 
Dick's experiments cover the withering of the green 
leaf, in any weather, in a brief space of time with- 
out injury — if not with advantage — to the quality of 
the tea, consequently the results of their experiments 
will l>eof the greatest interest to all concerned in the 
production of tea. — II. and C. Mp.il. 
Adulteration in Spices :— What One of the Agri- 
cultural Department Chemists Found Out. — 
Washington. D. O, March 30. — The report of the 
chemists of the Department of Agriculture on 
food adulteration in this country is being prepared. 
That portion relating to spices and condiments, prepared 
by Clifford Kichardson is already completed. Mr. 
Kichardson's investigations show that no other kinds 
of human food are adulterated to such au extent. Of 
twenty samples of ground cloves examined, ouly two 
were pure. The others bad suffered the extraction 
of the essential oils, and bad been polluted by the addi- 
tion of clove-stems, allspice, aud husks of various 
kinds. Of eight samples of Cayenne pepper ouly 
one was pure. Of ten samples of mustard, none was 
pure, though several had only suffered the loss of 
their fixed oil ; the others contained quantities of 
wheat-flour, the spurious matter being in some cases 
two-thirds of the compounds. This made it necessary 
to add tumeric acid (harmless) to restore the mustard 
color. Of ten samples of allspice only eight wore pure. 
Four samples of cassia were all pure. Of ten samples 
of ginger, four were pure. Ouly ono out of thirteen 
samples of black pepper was found to be what it pur- 
ported to be. A specimen sent from Baltimore to a 
man whn bad an army contract was almost entirely 
spurious. Cayenne pepper, black pepper, husks, aud 
mustard hulls were used to give flavour and pungency, 
while " body " was supplied by ground beans and rice 
and color by charcoal. Two samples of white pepper 
out of five were pure ; two samples of maco out of Bye 
were pure ; and of three siimples of nutmeg cxamiin d, 
nil were pure. Mr. Hichardson believes that the priro 
paid govern* the amount of adtlHwntiofl IpiOM. 
I'suallv when In- demanded n pure artiole of a first- 
class grocer ho got it. 
