July 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
63 
A New Oil Seed.— The seeds of a labiate, the 
Ldlltmantia ilerica, a plant common in the Caucasus 
and elsewhere, have lately been examined by L. 
Bichter, who finds therein 33^ per cent, of a bland 
fat oil, which congeals at about 31° to 35° C. It is 
thought that this oil could be cheaply obtained, and 
that it would probably prove useful in pharmacy and 
the &its.~-£urgoyne , s Monthly Export Price Current. 
China Tea.— The "first teas" of the season were 
shipped in big lots : our Hongkong correspondent 
writes :—" The 'Moyune' left Hankow with 24,000 
piculs, and on 22nd the 'Glengyle' with 27,000, 
which makes nearly seven million lb. between these 
two steamers." In the Singapore Free Press of 7th June 
we read : — " The Blue funnel steamer ' Prometheus ' 
arrived from Hankow this morning, with a cargo 
of 4,000 tons of tea on board. She left for London 
at one o'clock this morning." 
Pineapple Plant. — It is beginning to be said that 
the leaf of the pineapple plant (Ananassa xativa) 
has a future before it, and it goes without saying 
that, if the leaf is cared for the fruit must be 
cared for with it. It is said now that the leaf 
is liner and stronger in fibre than that yielded by 
any other plant, and that in the Philippines where 
tho West Indian Ananassa has became naturalised, 
a beautiful and strong textile fabric is made from 
it known locally as "pina cloth." — Indian Agri- 
culturist. 
Wonderful Discovery IN Glass. — Says Iron- 
mongery of April 30th: — 
" Perhaps the most remarkable recent discovery is 
the new glass which has just been made in Sweden. 
At present, common glass contains only six sub- 
stances, while the new Swedish glass consists of 
fourtoen, the most important elements being phos- 
phorus and boron, which arc not found in any other 
glass. The revolution which this new refractor is 
destined to make is almost inconceivable if i t is true, 
as stated, that, while tho highest power of the pre- 
sent microscopic lens reveals only the one four- 
hundrcd-thousandth part of an inch, this new glass 
will onablo us to distinguish ono two-hundred-aud-four 
million-scvon-hundred-thousandth part of an inch." 
What are wo coining to? Is it going to be 
possible to sec into tho human frame through 
the pores of the skin ? ! 
THE Uses of Peat — " Peat which can be dug 
on many farms " — says the Indian Agriculturist — 
"can be put to a variety of uses besides that of fuel, 
which was its primary uso in Europe. When 
thoroughly air-dried and ground there is no better 
absorbent than peat for uso in such places as closets 
and stables. In fact it forms a perfectly fixative 
deodorizer, and when thoroughly saturated may be 
carted off and used as a most easily applied and 
active fertilizer. In Germany there is in nearly every 
large town a peat grinding mill, the product of which 
is used in tho manner we have suggested, and is 
found of the greatest value in enriching the soil of 
gardons, orchards, hothouses and vineyards." — Query 
if peat from the great Muturajawclla swamp could 
bo cheaply and profitably used for sanitary and 
fertilizing experiments at Colombo :the cost ofcarringe 
ofjovon perfectly dried peat wouldbe the difticulty ? 
Pbat as Manure in Orchards and Vineyards. — 
With nil our vaunted science, we are fur from know- 
ing or taking advantage of the manures most simply 
aud easily obtained. It is only in 11 very few large 
towns that pent grinding mills are in use, making a 
perfectly fixative deodorizer for closets, urinals and 
stables. The manure thus obtained may he transported 
in open carls through tho busiest* streets without 
annoyance to tho inhabitants and passer-by. anil is of 
the greatest value in enriching soils of fruit gardens, 
orchards, hothouses and vineyards. Wore tho powder 
universally usod in houses, it would form n perfect 
disinfectant and afterwards a most valuable adjunct to 
improve tho garden, soil. Its value as manure was 
demonstrated at Kilzingen in 1834, by Dr. Fuerst, 
who procured a supply trom the Urinals and closets in 
the town and public buildings and applied it to vine- 
yards which had been formerly manured with ordin- 
ary stable straw-manure and dung, varied at regular 
iutervals with Kainite and superphosphate, but a part 
had purposely been left fallow for this experiment. 
He divided this part into three, applying to one \',\ 
tons of ordinary stable dung, to another 150 lbs. of 
Kainite and 150 lbs. Superphosphate and to auother J'f 
tons of the peat-manure. A successful result was not 
long delayed. Even in the first summer a much richer 
growth was observed in this last lot, finer grapes and 
increased number of buuehos. Plants which had borne 
only 20 bunches formerly now produced 30 and 40. In 
September, these grapes were quite soft and sweet 
whereas the others were still hard acd sour. They 
were fully ripe more than a fortnight before tho 
others and gave to 12 per cent more saccharine. Other 
trials in 1885; 1886, aud 1887 have been still more 
successful oud the old plants are altogether wonder- 
fully improved. Several fruit trees nearly barren aud 
useless were similarly treated and with like results. 
(Prom Frankfort a/M,) — Universal Press Association. 
Ceylon Tea in Sydney. — M. D. W. Camp- 
bell, formerly a Dimbula planter, and for the last 
few years engaged in business in Sydney, N. S. W., 
sends us a copy of the Australian Century, an illus- 
trated monthly paper, which contains an advertise- 
ment of the "Ceylon Tea Company," with which 
Mr. Campbell is connected. This company not only 
sells Ceylon tea and coffee in packets, but makes 
ladies' afternoon tea a speciality, supplying tea, 
coffee and 1 ^oa in the cup, and bread and butter, 
scones and pastry. Society, a weekly journal also 
published in Sydney, and a copy of which Mr. 
Campbell sends us, has the following paragraph 
under "Society Notes and Fashionable Intelli- 
gence ": — 
An elderly lady said to me the other day : " Madge, 
the art of tea-making is lost ; the very look of it is no 
longer encouraging. It is either a pale, half-chilled un- 
satisfactory beverage, or it contains a blackish brown 
sediment from bad tea leaves." The consumption of 
tea, no doubt in Sydney, is enormous, and we boast to 
new comers that we are fond of our cup of tea ; and yet 
where is the heretical foreigner to find a good cup in the 
city? At the restaurants ? Never. At the old stand- 
ing tea aud coffee palaces '! Very rarely ; for these are 
opened in most cases to promote sobriety; but these 
well-intentioned people forget that both tea and coffee 
are stimulants. Even in private houses, it is surprising 
that a good cup of tea can seldom be obtained. 
Everywhere a ^rcat reform in te 1 is required. And I 
think a prophet has already aiiseu for our salvation, in 
the embodiment of the " Ceylon Tea Company," who 
have opuned a charming little afternoon tea-room for 
ladies at 354, George-street, next to Paling's. I visited 
this new resort one day last week, and found it crowded 
with fair visitors, babbling gossip over large cups of 
Ceylon tea, delicious pastry, aud fresh scones. The 
milk and butter provided here are of tho purest and in^t 
description, obtained direct from a dairy, at Middle 
Harbour, owned by the proprietors. The secret of tea- 
making is also a speciality at these rooms, and is carried 
out uudcr the management of a lady who has studied 
the charms of the beverage for years ; steeping the 
leaves by using boiling water, then instantly almost (the 
most three minutes) pouringoff again, by which only 
the volatile and stimulating portion of its principle is 
obtained. This pure Ceylon tea is really the cfieape-t in 
Australia, as only half the quantity is required in 
making a good brew. It may be had at the ladies' tea- 
rooms at 2s Gd per lb. Every convenience is fitted up 
in this place, which is a perfect picture of bright deco- 
ratious. I would strongly advise housewives to order 
some of the Indian tea, but do not listen to tho mis- 
guided people who will be sure to tell you that it (rants 
to bo mixed with Chiuese tea. 
L Wo wish Mr. Campbell and his Company nil success 
in their efforts to get tho Australians to drink Ceylon 
lea. 
