8 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [July 2, 1888. 
of the coca leaves which reach the market are beaten 
off from the plants with poles, an opinion which is 
evidently erroneous. If an attempt were ma le to beat 
the leaves from the plants with poles, the owner would 
never get another crop. Two other forms of coca, or 
rather erythroxylon, grow throughout the eastern part 
of Bolivia and even through Brazil. The two maiu 
varieties of coca, the Bolivian and Peruvian, are so 
different that one Bolivian writer has described the 
Bolivian form under the name of Erythroxylon 
Bolivianum- The name, however, is not correct; both 
are Erythroxylon coca. Two varieties are distinguished 
not only by the leaves but by the fruits,which are 
larger in the Bolivian species, while the leaves are 
larger in the Peruvian species. The Bolivian variety 
is much esteemed by the Peruvians, they saving enough 
from their scanty earnings to purchase one-third of the 
Bolivian product, although you can obtain the native 
article at a much lower price. Dr. Rushy then entered 
into the question of the chemical composition of the 
leaves, and spoke about the two methods of estimating 
the cocaine which the coca leaves contain. The first 
is to extract it in the pure form and weigh it. This 
method, the lecturer said, was impossible for me ; I 
was therefore obliged to resort to the test by titration, 
and this test is as follows : — We obtain the cocaine 
in an aqueous acid solution, about two drachms of 
the solution representing two and one-ha'f grammes 
of leaves. This can now be tested with Mayer's reagent. 
As the precipitate is formed this precipitate is filtered, 
and the reagent again added. When no more pre- 
cipitation occurs we assume that the right amount of 
reagent has been used, and for every cubic centimetre 
so u^ed we have eight milligrammes of cocaine in the 
leaves. Now, estimating by this test in this country 
the leaves will yield from about one-half to three-quaters 
of one per cent, of cocaine. As I estimated them in 
their own country, the leaves being fresh or recently 
dried, taking an equal weight of fresh leaves, drying 
them, and then assaying them, I obtained from two 
to four per cent, of cocaine. I took specimens of the 
same leaves which I had thus assayed aDd sent them 
to the United States, where they were assayed, and they 
yielded the same amount which they are said to yield 
in this country, namely, from one-half to three-fourths 
of one per cent. It was evident that I had made 
a mistake in my process, or that the composition of 
the leaves was very different in their own home. On 
my return to La Plaz for the second time I made 
a very elaborate series of experiments, looking towards 
the assaying of the different parts of the plants. I took 
the best methods I could, collecting and drying at 
the proper time of the year, taking into account the 
age of the leaves, and I found my former results con- 
firmed. But I also found on this occasion that on 
rendering my solution slightly alkaline and washiDg it 
with ether, the ether carried away only the cocaine, 
which was found to be about three-fourths of one per 
cent as in this country. This is, then, one of the means 
of accounting for the difference — an entirely different 
substance from the cocaine, but producing the same 
reaction with Mayer's reagent, being left behind in the 
alkaline aqueous solution, seeming to prove that the 
composition of the leaves is different in their own home 
from what it is after they are exported. — Chemist and 
Druggist. 
PEPPERMINT AS A DISINFECTANT. 
It is a fashion with some people to treat with 
contempt the traditions handed down by our fore- 
fathers. Before, however, we discard valuable drugs 
which have been used for generations past, it is 
always well to search for any new properties which 
can perhaps be added to their past history. 
Many of your readers may not be fortunate 
enough to have copies of the Lancet or British Medi- 
cal Journal, or would care to wade through their 
contents. I therefore wish to chronicle in your 
wi lely read journal the results lately arrived at in 
favour of Pepp'-rmint Menthol. 
It hae been found, after laborious research, that 
of all substances and chemicals yet discovered there 
is nothing known more fatal to bacterial germs of 
diseases, &c, than Peppermint (Mentha piperita). 
It is found that one three hundred-thousandth-part 
of Menthol is sufficient to de.-troy the bacterial 
germs. It must be known to many of your readers, 
by the letter from Mr. E. M. Holmes, F. L. 8., of 
the Pharmaceutical Society, that after a long search 
the home of the true Menthol plant was discovered 
to be in Japan. This plant I have discovered 
largely throughout E irope and America. Mr. J. 
W. Colcord, of the Pharmaceutical Society of 
Massachusetts, U. S. A., writes me that Pepper- 
mint has withstoood 10° below zero of frost ; this 
will prove that the p ant is a hardy one. Some 
correspondents write to tell me they tried the 
Menthol by pouring hot water upon the foliage, 
and drinking the infusion in the hottest weather. 
They experienced great relief to their fatigue, and 
it was as refreshing as Tea, and they thought it 
more stimulating. I have had letters asking me if 
I could supply any of the foliage, so that experi- 
ments might be tried by boiling it, and bringing 
the infusion into a sick-room for its perfume and 
antiseptic properties, but on looking over my large 
beds of roots I found none sufficiently advanced 
to cut. I have no plants being forced, and regret 
that these experiments must be deferred until later 
in the spring. One experiment made with the 
Menthol crystals, which cau now be bought of any 
chemist at a few pence per ounce, will show how 
preferable is its perfume to the objectionable smell 
of carbolic acid when exposed in the usual manner 
in an open vessel. 
Medical men, when they come to pander over 
these facts, wdl welcome the results of the experi- 
ments showing that Menthol can now be safely 
relied upon as yielding better results than carbolic 
acid. — Thomas Christy.— Gardeners' Chronide. 
Persian Silk. — After China, Persia was believed to 
have been the first place where silk was grown, but 
whilst the Chiuese silk was white cocoons, those of 
Persia were yellow. Among savants who have studied 
the question of silk it is believed that Persian silk was 
differeut from Chinese. Persian silk is very little 
known, and has beeD little studied in Europe. At the 
request of M. Natalis Roudot, the Minister of Foreign 
Affairs desired the French representative at Teheran 
to make inquiries on the subject. The Persian Govern- 
ment informed him that the original kind of yellow 
Persian cocoons had not been preserved pure except ia 
one locality, namely, Schezevar. M. de Balloy, the 
French Minister at Teheran, has procured 737 gram- 
mes that M. Natalis Rondot has placed at the disposition 
of the Chamber of Commerce of Lyons, who will pro- 
ceed to make experiments at certain points in France 
and Italy. — London and China Express. 
Manures. — M. Deherain, professor at the "Conser- 
vatoire des Arts et Metiers " made a report, at yester- 
day's meeting of the "Academie des Sciences," on his 
researches upon farm manures. It follows from, this 
report, that the black matter which impregnates duug, 
and forms and colours liquid manure, is the result of 
the dissolution of the alkaline carbonates formed by 
urines: — 1° from the vascular deterioration of the 
straw : 2 9 the azotic matters arising from the straw 
itself, from the solid excrements of animals and from 
the transformation of the amnionic into azotized mat- 
ter, vital activity of the ferments, being the causa of 
this metamorphiosis M. Deherain concludes that in 
consequence of these reactions it would be advisable : 
1° Never to add to manure any substance likely to 
decompose the alkaline carbonates : consequently the 
use of sulfates of iron or lime must be prescribed, and 
above all, acids, often employed to avoid the evapor- 
ation of ammonia ; — 2° To frequently water with liquid 
manure, which dissolves the carbonic acids abounding 
in the confined atmosphere of the dung — heap retain- 
ing the anmonia, accelerates by this dissolution, the 
diminution of the interior pressure allows the air to 
penetrate the heap, and facilitates fermentation thus 
transforming the anmonia into azotized matter, the 
principal result to be obtained in the preparation of 
manure,— Universal Press Association. 
