THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [November i, 1887 
the most grievous enemy which the fruit grower 
has to contend with in Australia, New -Zealand, 
South Africa, and California. It is believed to have 
originated in Australia, and to have been introduced 
into other parts of the world upou living plants. 
But in endeavouring to get accurate data for this 
belief I have been led to question the specific value 
of Icerya purchasi, Maskell, as compared with Icerya 
sacchari, iSigooret. This last infests Sugar-caue in 
the islands of Bourbon and Mauritius, and on the 
hypothesis that purchasi is a synonym of it, the 
wide distribution of the pest through the sugar 
trade becomes at once intelligible, as it is a com- 
mon practice in that part of the world and in the 
Pacific Islands to insert a piece or pieces of the 
cane in the hogsheads or other packages for the 
purpose of facilitating the drainage of syrup that is 
an accompaniment of the unrefined sugars pro- 
duced there. 
Thus the question of synonymy bears directly on 
the orginal source of this pest, and this is import- 
ant to us practically in any study of the natural 
enemies of the species, with a view to their arti- 
ficial introduction into those countries which Icerya 
has invaded without its natural checks. 
This Icerya, on account of the protection offered 
by the fluted, waxy ovisac, and of its other character- 
istics already mentioned, is one of the most diffic- 
ult of all insects to control, as few insecticides 
will reach the eggs. 
In the papers already cited will be found details 
of experiments whereby the difficulty has been sur- 
mounted in California by judicious spraying with 
kerosene emulsions and resin soaps, as well as by 
a combination of cyanhydric gas evolved from pot- 
assic cyanide, and carbonic gas evolved from sodic 
bicarbonate, used under a portable tent.— Gardeners' 
Chronicle. . 
Moss. — An interesting discovery has been made in Swit- 
zerland of a bright-green moss, growing on calcareous 
rock, 200 feet below the surface of Lake Leman. No 
other moss has been known so far under water, and 
how colorophyl — the green colouring matter— could 
have been so richly developed in a place so remote 
from the light is a problem — probably the extraordinary 
clearness of the water enabling the sun's rays to penet- 
rate to a great depth. — Burgoyne, Burbidges, Cyriax 
and Farrie's Monthly Prices Current. 
Eriodictyon Glutinosum as a Vehicle fob 
Quinine. —We find it stated in the American Druggist 
that Mr. J. D. A. Hartz has been experimenting with 
yerba sauta, or Eriodictyon glutinosum as a vehicle for 
quinine. This pharmacist states that he fiuds it the 
best means hitherto discovered of masking the bitter 
taste of sulphate of quinine, aud that he has succeeded in 
preparing from the yerba santa a syrup termed " syrup- 
us corrigens" (or correcting syrup), 1 fluid drachm 
of which will so obliterate the taste of 2 grains of 
sulphate of quinine, that only a slight degree of bitter- 
ness is perceptible some time after the medicine has 
been taken. — Ibid. 
Professor Calvert has recently made the interest- 
ing discovery, by practical tests, that the carbonate of 
potash and soda possess the same property of pro- 
tecting iron and steel from rust as do those alkalies 
in a caustic state. Thus it is found that if an iron 
blade be immersed in a solution of either of the 
above carbonates, it exercises so protective an action 
that if it is exposed to a damp atmosphere it will not 
oxidise, even after so extended a period as two years. 
Similar results, it appears, have also been obtaiued 
with sea water, on adding to it the same the carbonates 
of potash or soda in suitable proportions — Ibid. 
FoBNITUDE manufacturers have had their attention 
directed by enthusiasts to the pulp question. It is 
:ir/?iM d that pulp can be used as a substitute for lumber 
in the manufacture of furniture and other articles 
now made exclusively of wood. By mixing the pulp 
with clays, steatite, asbestos, plumbago and mica, »u b 
stances of every possible color and compactness may 
be produced. It is estimated that only about 20 per 
cent of the timber felled reaches economic uses, 
while if the sawmill were combined with the pulp- 
iug aud pressing processes, all the material in trunk 
might be available. — Iron Trade Ecvieu: 
The Cultivation of Acacia Dkcobeens. — We hear 
that the tannin-yielding acacia (A. decurreus) is be- 
ing grown successfully ou a somewhat extensive scale 
at Coonoor, in India. It thrives pretty well also at 
Ootacamuud, but does not bear fruit there. This may 
very probably be due to the wet, gloomy weather 
coming on just at the time at which this tree begins 
to flower. On the other hand, it has been seen grow- 
ing magnificently on the Palui hills, where it both 
flowers and fruits every season. The wet, gloomy 
weather at Ootacamuud, seems to have proved favour- 
able enough to another plant, namely our own Eng- 
lish dandelion, which is beginning to cover the lawns 
there with its yellow flowers as it does in Euglaud, 
and in the deeply-tilled soil of the cinchona plantations 
it has roots 18 inches long. — Burgoyne, Burbidges, Cy- 
riax ami Farrie's Montldy Prices Current. 
Milk. — A novel method of preserving milk for family 
use was lately made known in the Australasian. It seems 
that Mr; F. J. Stephen had left at the office of that 
paper some six weeks previously a bottle of milk pre- 
served according to the following directions : — " Clean 
thoroughly a glass bottle, milk from the cow into the 
bottle until full to overflowing. Cork the bottle, 
and tie it down securely. Place the bottle in a vessel 
of water and boil. (To prevent the bottle knocking 
against the side of the vessel the bottle should be 
covered with a straw capsule.) After which remove 
the vessel of water with the bottle, and let the whole 
become cool. It need not be kept in a cool place 
to secure its remaining fresh." Last week the bottle 
was opened (writes the paper referred to), and a 
gentleman of large experience in dairy-farming tasted 
the milk, and declared it to be as fresh as if obtained 
from the cow the day before. The colour was pre- 
served, and there was not the slightest indication that it 
had bsen scalded. Mr. Stephen, in his letter, drew at- 
tention to the value of the process to persons about 
to travel, and to others requiring a constant supply of 
pure milk, and the test has proved that for six 
weeks at any rate the condition of the milk submit- 
ted to the process is so well maintained that it is im- 
possible to distinguish between it and new milk. — 
Qneenslander. 
Industrial Plants in the Canary Islands. — The 
dress of the people is essentially Spanish, the cloak 
and white mantilla being common. Most of the 
dress material is imported, thoiuh local industry 
produces coarse linen and woollen fabrics. Flax is 
grown in small quantities and the American aloe 
(Agave) affords abundant fibre for ropes and girths. 
Silkworms are reared in some numbers, and tbeir 
produce is partly manufactured into ribbons and 
hosiery, and partly exported raw. Sumach is grown 
iu small quantities for dyeing and tanning. Oacti, 
especially Opuntia tuna, cover a very large area, being 
grown for the support of the cochiueal insect. The 
dyestuff obtained from this insect has long been one 
of the chief articles of export, but like madder 
and the rest of the organic dyewares, it is fading 
before the competition of the coal-tar colours; the 
export in 1883-4 was under 2,500,000 lb., value 
£112,000. Another dyestuff produce I very largely on 
these islands is orchil (Koccella tinctoria), the rocky 
coast offcrine a fine habitat for the lichen ; the 
product is chiefly exported ; the figures for 1883-4 
were 272 cwt., value £641. Hats and other plaited 
fabrics are made from the fibre of the date leaves. 
The cultivation' of the ice plant {Mescmbri/onthcmum 
crystallinum) is still prosecuted for the sake of the 
alkali contained in its ashes, exported under the 
name of barilla, and used in glass milking; the ship- 
ments in 1883-4 were <;,902 cwt,, value £1,102, all 
ito Spain. Tobacco is grown successfully, and is im- 
proving in quality; the exports recorded in 1883-4 
were 2,292 cwt., value £10,373.— Journal oj tkz 
Society of Arts. 
