June t, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
K09 
^ovrospondunoo. 
To the Editor. 
THE ANALYSIS OF BONES. 
21st April 1888. 
Deau Shi, — Can your Hapitigam Koralo corre- 
spondent be in jest when he expresses a wish for 
a recent analysis of bones ? I must confess to an 
ignorance of Fororoy and Vanquellin and to the date 
of their analyses of bones, but surely your wide- 
awake coi respondent was not asleep during Hughes' 
visit amongst us, and must be aware that his 
table of the analyses of different manures is ex- 
tant. Here is his analysis of bones : — 
Moisture 
. . 7-20 
Organic and volatilo matter* 
. . 85 80 
Phosphoric acid 
. . 2 2 ") 
Limo 
. . 32-36 
Alkaline salt, &c. 
. . 6-49 
Insoluble- silicious matter. . 
. . 4'40 
iuo-oo 
* Containing nitrogen 3-(59 ammonia 4'48. 
I also enolose the analysis of one of the leading 
scientists of the day: — 
(Raw bones). 
Water . .. .. .. 6'20 
Organic matter .. .. .. 89*18 
Containing Ammonia 4'80. 
Calcic phosphate (insoluble) .. 48 95 
Lime . . . . . . . . 2 57 
Magnesia .. .. .. -80 
Sulphur teroxido .. .. 2'f>5 
Silica.. .. .. .. -30 
100-00 
In boiling or steaming bones there is said to occur 
a loss in nitrogen in the gelatinous matter which 
is removod, but an increase of phosphates and 
bones to be soluble must be boiled to remove the 
fat in thorn, which retards decomposition. — Truly 
yours, SIYANE KORALE. 
THE TEA FOR AMERICA.. 
Colombo, '20th April 1888. 
Dear Sir, — Apropos of Mr. Pineo's letter in your 
last evening's issue, I may mention, that, when 
Mr. Gow was last at Rakwana, ho expressed his 
opinion, that, if Ceylon tea-planters wished to push 
tho consumption of their teas in America, they 
should manufacture tho descriptions suited to the 
American taste. 
He was kind enough to teach my son how 
to make Oolong tea, and he having made some 
sent me samples, which Mr. Qepp reported upon 
as being suitablo to the American market, con- 
sequently I recommended that three, or four thousand 
pounds should be made experimentally. 
There are now a few hundred pounds on tho 
way to Colombo; thoy will be offered for sale at 
the auctions, and, if anything near Mr. Uopp's 
valuations nre obtained, will be sold. 
I make the matter known, because there is no 
probability that, if even tho experiment provos to 
bu successful, such a quantity will be mudo and 
exported to America us to over-supply that market, 
There will bo plenty of room, not only for all wo 
can make, but for all that can bo made by other-,, 
who may desiro to follow the lead. If the pale 
and rasping liquor of theso teas is suited to tho 
American tu-te, I do not wonder iu Mr. l'iueo 
and iitlier gentlemen oxperieucin • much diflicully 
in introducing the dark and llavoury liquoring 
Ceylon pekoes ur.d pekoe souchongs. — Yours truly, 
C. SHAM 1 , 
102 
TEA FOR AMERICA: MR. PINEO'S APPEAL. 
Kandy, 25th April 1888. 
Sin, — Mr. Pineo's appeal to the Ceylon planters 
appears, to me worthy of support, and as far as it 
lies in my power, I shall be very pleased to con- 
tribute my "mite" of tea towards his fund for 
distribution in America. To my mind, the sixty 
million inhabitants of that great nation, and the 
vast population of Russia, are the " citadels " we 
should attack with our tea forces and tea samples. 
" At home " every shop window is placarded with 
advertisements of "Ceylon tea," and eo there is 
less need to spend our capital upon tea-houses 
and at exhibitions. Let Ceylon planters get our 
great staple once properly introduced into such 
countries as America and Russia, and we need 
have no fear of over-production, though Ceylon 
were to put forth 40, 50, ay even 60 million lb. 
annually ! In supporting Mr. Pineo's scheme, I 
would suggest his sending subscription lists to the 
several District Associations, to be returned to him 
by a ceitain date (the sooner the better), as no 
doubt time is of importance. 
The quality of tea, I gather from Mr. Pineo's 
letter, is not to be lower than Pekoe. To make 
the parcel he intends sending to America as uniform 
and perfect as possible, the whole of the contribu- 
tions should be "bulked" at some Ceylon factory 
before being despatched, as we are well aware how 
gardens differ in pungency and appearance etc., 
and it would be as well to place one " Ceylon 
Blend," of say, Orange Pekoe and Pekoe mixed 
before our American friends, and not confuse them 
with the many hundred contributions, which I trust 
are to come in to Mr. Pineo's fund. The modest 
request for 0,000 lb. from Ceylon planters as a 
sample for America will no doubt be doubled, or 
even quadrupled, and in my opinion undoubtedly 
" go to a good market " if placed in the hands of 
so old, tried, and trusted a member of our plant- 
ing community as Mr. R. E. Pineo who tells me that 
powerful and influential friends will advertise our 
teas in America very extensively if Ceylon 
planters will only start the "initiative" with a 
few thousand pounds as samples to be distributed 
on say i lb packets. — I am sir, &c, 
SHELTON AGAR. 
FUEL SUPPLY FOR TEA. 
26th April 1888. 
Dear Sik,— It is highly undesirable that the 
public of Ceylon, and tho good folks of other 
countries should be led away by the idea that 
starvation, as far as fuol is concerned, stares Ceylon 
in the fuco. Writings from men, for whom I have 
tho greatest respect, however point so. I think it 
is incumbent on anyone possessing other notions 
to state them, and I shall endeavour to do bo. Mr. 
Rutherford's writings and calculations are theore- 
tically good and sound, but practically, in my 
opinion, bad, and calculated to give our now " tight 
little island " u character it far from deserves. 
Tho futuro three starvation points aro apparently 
to bo 1st ttie Railway, 2nd tho Coolies up-country, 
and lastly tho Tea Factories and Estates. 
1st. The Railway.— Can anyone believe that a 
(iovernment Railway, running from a largo shipping 
port through a fairly woll-woodud country, includ- 
ing vast reserve fore.- ts of its own, can starve from 
want of fuel? I cannot. It con, worked on nir>re 
economical principles, afford to burn nothing but 
roii/, transporting its own reserves of fuel if so 
desired to thou- who desire to purchase, but I 
fancy in the end purchasers will be few. The 
Railway, 1 do not consider, deserves anottier thought 
