December t, 1888 ] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
397 
substitution of tea, and adulterants of coffeo, to forco 
a reduction in consumption as an olF get to short 
crops. The outlook is onco more in favor of cheap 
OOffee as the profitable character of the industry sinco 
1885 has stimulated the setting out of new plantations, 
the effect of which will be left in 1890. — American 
Grocer. 
Til 10 USE OF D1VI-D1VI IN TANNING 
LEATHER. 
In tanning with divi-divi, carefully selected p >U 
deprived ol their seeds should bo used. They may he 
reduced to powder, or roughly broken, and infused in 
either cold or warm water. Divi-divi may be used 
either as a pure or mixed tannage, i. c, skins soaking 
in divi infusions may be stratified with layers of the 
material itself, or with layers of other tanning material, 
or, vice versa; infusions of other material may have 
layors of divi-divi for stratifying skins and hides 
soaking in them. This plant possesses certain advan- 
tageous qualities that ought to find favor with tanners, 
were it not that they are more than counter-balanced 
by its had qualities. It is rich in tannic acid, contain- 
ing from 30 to 40 per cent., and if tannic acid alone 
wore taken as a standard in estimating' the value of 
tanning materials, divi-divi would take the palm of 
most others. But tannic acid, though the chief, is not 
the only factor in the formation of leather; it (-imply 
forms tanno gelatine, and it requires something more 
than mere tannic acid to form real leather. Experi- 
ence also teaches that in course of manufacture skins 
and hides, while soaking in infusions of bark, etc., 
stratified with layers of thomateiial used in order to 
facilitate absorption, absorb ot.i.cr in titer 'held involu- 
tion besides tannic acid. This soluble matter contains 
coloring matter, and characterises the leather when 
tanned, giving it color and other qualities desirable or 
otherwise; il is known in the trade as "extractive 
matter." Leather, like all other c immoilities, in order 
to be marketable, is judged by a certain standard such 
as color — from a light brown to cream. It must be 
null aw, close in texture, silky to the feel in case of 
skins, and lirm though pliant in the case of hides. In 
I act, it mu.it take the eye. .Such being the case, it is 
, |iiitc natural that a tanner will look about him for 
-unie material yielding an extractive matter producing 
these results, and such a material we have in the bark 
used in the Madras Pi esnlency. 
Divi-divi possesses the excellent and much desired 
properly of giving weight to leather, but yields an ex- 
tractive matter producing most disagreeable results; 
it imp art > a reddish brown color to the material, 
which is very olten horribly streaked. It also poss- 
uses that worst "full properties, gallic fermentation, 
which may bo reckoned among the worst of the tanner's 
enemies, us it is a great source of loss and annoyance 
to him, thogub. iu its w ay, gallic acid is very useful to 
him. All materials containing tannic acid aro subject 
more or less to galho fermentation, but divi-divi 
uossisses this property in an extraordinary degrt-e, 
fermenting rapidly uuder an increase of temperature 
eveii in the presence of autisepties, so that it is not 
suited to India, where more favorable tanning mater- 
ia]! abound, ami where, iu tho absei.ee of scientific 
skill in the trade, these difficulties eauuot be contended 
against. From a few spei inn ns of divi-tanued leather 
Hint I hum by me 1 lind that il is influenced by 
the weather, Imviug the pecul arity of briug firm iu 
the dry. and soft and flabby in the wet weather. In 
some of my experiments with divi-divi, when the tom- 
peraturo of the n't.io ph. re had risen, I found that 
|alllo fermentati <i l>ad t in within a few hours, so 
UQohsothtt I suspco'ed the presence of foreig matter, 
Mid had o hi r vessels scrupulously dloSUed, . n l into I 
these I introduced fresn Infusions togother with a I 
small quant it \ of au antiseptic, and fuund that ga l e 
let malum i -.t I let in, though not in so marked a 
degree as without the aotl-f orment ; it was only i 
by means ol au unti>fermant that I si cede i 
at all iu tannin*; with divi-divi. From the iridescent, ■ 
oily nppeai.m. e ,.f the surface cd the inn-nail infer j 
tint ttiu rapuhtj with whioh dlvl divi fermonte is due 
to the presence of a soluble oil, or fatty matter; but 
with tho limited quantity at my disposal I was unable 
to make further experiments to bear out this inference 
which, after all, may be a mistaken one. Divi-divi 
should find favor iu Europe, where tanning materials 
ure scarce, as it has certain advantages over other 
imported materials, such as its comparative cheapness, 
richness in tannic acid and its excellent we : ght. giving 
property. Moreover, its disadvantages can be better 
contended against where the climate is more favour- 
able, and where science and modern appliances are 
brought to bear on them with very favourable results. 
Science in all its branches is making gian*. strides in 
this wonderfully progressive century of our- 1 , and the 
tanning community, hitherto a few centuries behind 
time, contented to walk on the same lines chalked out 
by their forefathers, are awaking to the fact that 
science must go band in hand with their trade as it 
does with most others, with the result that ere long 
obstacles suppose! to be insurmountable will yield to 
its influence. I'robably in the near future divi-divi will, 
iu the estimation of tanners in Europe, rank among 
their chief imports. In conclu-ion, I would suggest to 
those who have both the means and leisure, and are in- 
terested in seeing this article a commercial success, to 
make an extract of it, as tanners in Europe affect 
extracts preferably to the materials themselves. Au 
extract would be more advantageous to the exporter 
as it would finl more ready sale than the material 
itself, provided it is free from foreign matter; more- 
over, the cost of freight is comparatively far cheaper. 
In making the extract good colorod and well-matured 
pods should be selected, and all discolored and decayed 
ones rejected. The pods may bo roughly broken, or 
reduced to powder and digested iu hot or cold water, 
the latter whero a good colored extract is required, 
ami the former where tannic acid is the chief object. 
Another suggestion I would make is to mill the pods 
prior to making an extract, iu order to see if oil iu 
any appreciable quantity can be obtained. A quantity 
of carefully prepared extract, sufficient at least for a 
lair, if not, exhaustive, trial should be seut either to 
Europe, or to some local tanner willing to make ex- 
periments with it himself, without entrusting it 
eutirely to tho hands of his servants. — E. G. Thorpe. — 
Madras Mail. 
♦ 
TEA-LEAF PLUCKING AND CARRYING IN 
UVA. 
A Badnlla planter lately told mo that his p'.uckers a 
day or two previously had plucked from 5 to 13 lb. 
per cooly by 11 a.m. from a rather straggling 
and irregular field, and tho kangani tasked the 
ooolies to bring in 20 lb. each, from II to 4 p m>, 
U3 they had more regular tea and a better flush, 
lie thought the task too much, but to see if it 
were possible he promised 3d each to every cooly 
who brought in the 20 lh. at 1 p.m. and to his 
surprise 89 pluckers out of the gang brought over 
20 lb. each aud got their 3d each, while all the 
rest had also done well. He also told mo that lie 
tiuds he can transport leaf on coolies' heads a 
distanco of about four miles in ordinary gunny 
Lags without the leaf being the slightest bit in- 
jured, and that it is really a waste of labour and 
money to make coolies carry loads of leaf in 'he •• 
large baskets, and that he shall do so no longer. 
— Cor. 
USEFUL HINTS T > TB V PLANTERS : 
HA WES A Co's FORT NIGHTLY OEYL » % PEA 
REl'OUT. 
London, 14, Mincing L im , 36th October, 18H8 
Tho following qaantitii ■ bav* been offen d at Aucti in 
■inee our last issue, liated 12th October :- 
Oct. [6th 8.801 pkgs. which sold at an avertR* l' r iee <>f 
Is ISd pur lt> 
„ 18th 16!> ., „ ,. Ulld .. 
„ 23rd 3.SI2 „ ., ., 1-"JI .• 
„ 26th 1,239 .. „ • »»°»'l 
