S5* 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February t, 1888. 
impie^i'Sues it with a resinous ami gummy substance 
that completely dissolves in hot water, thus forming 
a riar thrown tint very similar to the extract of que- 
bracho c ilorado. By detruncating the trees of the 
very lar^ast size, a black and extremely bitter sap 
exudes from the tiee which gradually solidifies in 
the air. This has not as yet been seientfically ana- 
lysed. The aqueous extracts m:ide from boiling the 
wood and then evaporating to dryness do not s ilidify 
on being cooled so perfectly as those of the quebracho 
Colorado, but form delicate viscous and somewhat tough 
snperficial laminre. The solution of the colouring ma ter 
of the algorrobo without recourse to any mordant, 
produces very fast colours, not only in wool and silk 
but also in cotton and linen goods as likewise in 
the fibre of the chagnan. The colour varies from the 
clearest to the blackest brown according to the ap- 
plication. 
CoroviUo. — It appears that both the bark and the 
wood of this plant contain the same colouring ma- 
teriral which the natives call " tinta punzo " — deep 
scarlet red. The preparation and appliea'ion however 
of this colouring matter is a secret in the hands of 
certain families in the interior, who refuse to give 
to the public any information on the subject. 
Lapacho.— The chemical composition of the organic 
material of this tree is very complicated. From 
experiments thus far made, it appears that its bark 
and wood afford about 7 per cent, of tannin and 
7'5 per cent, of colouring matter, which crystallises 
well, and about 12-5 per cent, of another colouring 
matter of less value, since it does not crystallise; 
also about 5 per cent, of a substance similar to 
caoutchouc. As the latter, as well as the colouring 
matter, is insoluble in water, because of their resinous 
composition, it is not strange that the wood long 
resists decay. Indeed, it is stated that when the 
wood has remained some time in water, it becomes 
indurated to such an extent that it is impossible to 
cut it with steel axes. 
Dr. Siewert, after a careful scientific stu ly of the 
yellow colouring matter which exists in the wood, 
pronounces it a very important dye-stuff. After 
describing at length his method of prepariug it for 
use, he says: — "Inasmuch as this colouring matte', 
hitherto unknown, easily eliminates the carbonic aci I 
of the carbonate of soda and dissolves into a liquid 
the colour of blood, it is certain that it represents 
an organic acid. And for this reason, in accordance 
with its origin, it has been named ' lapachic acid.'" 
The lapachic acid, its salts, and the products of 
its decomposition merit much atteution from dyers, 
because, according to the mordants and the degree 
of concentration of the flux, they produce very 
diverse colours in wool and silk; that is to say, 
whether the goods impregnated by the mordants be 
at once passed through the flux of the colouring 
matter or the contrary, or whether they are dyed 
in cold or heat, the following colours are produced : — 
1. Rose Crimson. — Use chloride of tin, alum, or 
acetate of lead for mordants, then dye in a flux 
of the lapachate of soda, and purify by soap. 
2. Yellow. — Saturate the cloth with the bichloride 
of tin, then pass it through the hot flux of lapachate 
of soda, dry it, and purify it in a hot bath of lapachonic 
acid. 
3- Clear Brovrn. — According to the streugth of the 
mordant of sulphate, or, better, of acetate of copper 
and of the flux of lapachate of soda, each one of the 
tints of brown will be produced. The goods are 
afterwards oleaused by soap. 
4. Dark Brown. — The goods impregnated with 
chloride of iron, are dyed in heat in the flux of 
lapachate of soda, and afterwards cleansed by soap. 
Nothing has ever been done in the matter of making 
tho dyes and dye-stuffs of the country articles of 
foreign commerce. In spite of the fact, t hat all parts 
of the Rppublic are so rich in these materials, there 
has scarcely b;?en a movement towards their utilisation, 
beyo id the meagre demands of a few spindles and 
hand -looms in the interior province', the people 
importing quite all the threads, yarns, and woveu 
goods used in the country. That there is a field 
here for the building up of a large trade in colouring 
materia's, scircely admits of a question. Iu regard 
to most of the articles above enumerated, they are 
found or grow spontaneously in the country, and are 
immediately accessible along the chores of the Upper 
Parana and the Paragu iy. The lepacho, the quebracho, 
thealgorobo, and nearly all the other trees mentioned, 
grow in great quantities and wonderful luxuriance 
all along those livers; while as to the rest, there 
are railways leading through the provinces where 
they are found. 
Mr. Baker proceeds to give some interesting in- 
formation about such plants, shrubs &c, as require 
atteution for their proper cultivation and develop- 
ment. The saffron mi^ht profiitably be cultivated. 
Indigo plantations are worthy of attention, and the 
conditions are pecu'iarly favourable for the culture 
of cochineal. Mr. Brown says : — If the indolence and 
indifference to progress of the lower classes of the 
Argentine people were not known, it would be difficult 
to explain how such an industry as the production 
of cochineal, at once so simple and so easy, is per- 
mitted to be so negelected', since in the interior 
provinces the aridity of the soil and the dryness of 
the climate indicate them as admirably suited for 
the business, and I do not think that it could possibly 
fail to pay large profits on a very moderate capital. 
All through the level interior, and especially in the 
provinces of San Louis, Rioja, Catamarca, Santiago del 
Estero, and certain portions of Cordoba and Tucu- 
man, the plant is found in the greatest abundance, 
and the insect is reproduced spontaneously. It is an 
industry which can be prosecuted by any person who 
has enterprise and a few huudred dollars capital. 
That which is obtained now without care and with- 
out cultivation, will give some idea of what such an 
iudustry would yield if properly conducted. It is 
probable, however, unless foreign enterprise comes in 
and takes advantage of the openings which the Ar- 
gentine Republic offers in the several industries for 
the production of dyeing materials which I have 
mentioned, that they will remain undeveloped for as 
many centuries in the future as they have in the 
past. — British Trade Journal. 
+ 
A nbw Conffeh Pr.ANT. — Ooff ee-planting has been 
carried on with more or less — generally — less success 
in Natal for yours past, and an enterprising Albany 
farmer has succeeded in bringing the plants to 
maturity, though it is more than doubtful whether 
the experiment could, be developed into a commer- 
cial success. A new coffee plant has, however, it is 
stated, lately been discovered in West Afrcia, the 
berry of which is said to resemble that of Arabia 
in appearance and flavor. It grows not on a shrub, 
but on a tree nearly seveu feet high, which develops 
rapidly and yields an abundant crop. Arrangements 
are already being made for introducing its cultivation 
in favourable localities. It might be worth while 
to try tho new coffee plant in South Africa. — Ameri- 
can Grocer- 
Growing Oranges. — I notice iu the Gardeners' 
Chronicle of December 17, p. 755, a correspondent 
writing about an Orange tree bearing twenty-three 
full-sized fruits. I send you a fruit gathered from a tree 
bearing fifty-six fruits, nearly all ripe and of the size 
of the fruit sent. I think it a great pity Orange 
growing is so neglected in private gardens. In fact 
when you do meet with them they are generally fouud 
iu a very sickly condition. "What can be more pleasing, 
ornamental, and usoful at this season of the year 
than a good house full of such cultivated Oranges ? 
Their management is very simple. Insects are their 
greatest enemies — green-fly and scale ; the former is 
easily kept down by fumigation, the iatter by a 
dressing of Gishurst Compound once a year. — G. 
BioxHAM, the Garden*, Biickhill Manor, Bletchley, 
Bucks. — Gardeners' Chronicle, 
