828 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [June i, 1889. 
The Poles, it appears, are adepts in the art. Of 
forty different samples of tea tested this year by 
the analysts at Warsaw, twenty were found to con- 
tain no trace of any kind of tea whatever. In 
Russia also the adulteration of provisions is as- 
suming enormous dimensions ; and one of the chief 
Moscow merchants was lately sentenced to banish- 
ment to Siberia for life, for haviog adulterated tea 
with 50 per cent of an injurious grass known as 
"kaporkee." As contrasted with our own long- 
sleeping system, which only occasionally routes itself 
to the imposition of petty fines and no imprison- 
ment, this sentence is almost startling in its 
severity. 
Wherever and in whatever form it is pursued, the 
world-wide system of of adulteration is based upon 
the indifference, and thrives upon the mistaken eco- 
nomy, of the public. In spite of our lavish outlay 
upon the luxuries of life there is an existing rage for 
cheapness in its necessaries, and the mere cheap- 
ness betrays us. The poor invalid who imagines 
that a bottle of " fine old crusted," of assured 
vintage and maturity, is to be bought for two 
shillings wrongs his neighbour almost as much as 
himself. He is an upholder of that vast system of 
fraud with which neither science nor personal 
vigilance seems at present able to cope. — St. Jameses 
Budget. 
♦ 
NOTES ON TEA. 
(Home and Colonial Mail, April 18th.) 
Later on this year, says the Grocer, the home trade 
will probably have to face the question of the non- 
arrival of common congous on other than a trivial scale, 
and the question for them to solve will be whether 
India and Ceylon are now able (whatever tbey may be 
in the future) to provide a substitute for the very 
decent clean Saryuues, Yonghows, Seumoos, and other 
sorts of teas, now selling from 4d to 4£ per lb. All 
these teas brew a very good cup of tea, and when 
mixed with some of the cheap Indian pekoe at 7d per lb 
they make a surprisingly good and cheap beverage. 
These teas are not to be confounded with the rubbish, 
with a glazy back leaf of the old common congou 
style, which we used to get some years ago, and 
which was worthless stuff, and of no use for our 
wants of the present day ; but the common congous 
lately sold are, many of them, of sappy, clean fruity 
flavour very useful and low ia price. 
Foochow has this year shipped us 11,000,000 lb 
(eleven millions of pounds) less than in 1888, and 
the shortage mainly consists of these low-priced 
grades ; so it is quite possible a pinch may come later 
on for this class. Last Oot. or Nov. with only a little 
enquiry, the above teas rapidly advanced nearly a 
penny per pound,and for those who have a trade for the 
descriptions named it would be well if they were to 
bear in mind the present extraordinary value obtain- 
able for such kinds. The reduced prices that have 
been ruling must do more than anything to "■ kill " the 
production of the cheapest grades ; and this state of 
affairs seems foreshadowed in the reports just received 
from Ohina, to the effect that the teamen there will 
confine their efforts to making good teas, leaving 
alone all common sorts, on which for years past they 
have been sustaining ruinous losses. Supplies from 
Ohina for the season 1888-89 are now complete, with 
the exception of one shipment, so that the stocks of 
this description of tea will soou rapidly diminish, and 
the market will thus be better prepared for the new 
Moningsaud Kaisows when they arrive here about their 
usual time. 
According to the Daily Telegraph, one of the latest 
forms of fumatory indulgence is the smoking of tea 
made up in the form of cigarettes. Only the choic- 
est, and consequently most expensive, "leafs" are 
used. The smell of the burning Bohea or Souchong 
is anything but pleasing, though the effect on the 
nerves of the smoker is described as being singularly 
soothing for the time being, but afterwards to be 
exactly the revise. Ladies are the principil suppor- 
ters of the new departure." We do not think this 
indulgence will materially increase the coueumption 
of tea, although, if people wish to smoke the leaf, 
they had better be sure and secure it pure and un- 
adulterated, and here Indian and Ceylon will have 
the preference. 
Medical Value of Vegetables. — Celery, accord- 
ing to the Hospital, acts upon the nervous system, 
and is a cure for rheumatism and neuralgia. 
Tomatoes stimulate the liver, and spinach and the 
common dandelion, prepared in the same way, have 
a direct effect on diseases of the kidney. Onions, 
garlic, and olives promote digestion by stimulating 
the circulatory system, with the consequent increase 
of the saliva and gastric juice. Eaw onions are also 
regarded as a remedy for sleeplessness, and the 
French believe that onion soup is an excellent tonic 
in cases of debility of the digestive organs. 
A Possible Ooconct-growing and Trading Com- 
pans. — Amongst the passengers by the S. S. " Oceana," 
which arrived here last Sunday, was Mr. Cecil Millen, 
a London gentleman who comes here on behalf of a 
London Syndicate to make enquiries concerning our 
coconut-growing and trade. Of c<urse, at such an 
early stage as this, it would be unwise for Mr. Millen 
to divulge too much ; but we gather from him that the 
Syndicate he represents is composed of English capi- 
talists, who propose acquiring estates, growing their 
own coconuts, running oil mills, and shipping on their 
account straight to Europe. Mr. Millen is here to 
make the preliminary arrangements, and expects be 
will be in Ceylon from four to six months, during which 
time he will gather particulars as to value of estates, 
producing c«pabilities, &c; while he will also judge 
as to whether or not the venture is likely to be suc- 
cessful. He also thinks it likely that his Syndicate 
may go in for coconut-growing. — Locil " Tiruee." 
The Planters' and Traders' Association Ltd. — 
The London Gazette contains the following an- 
nouncement — 
The Planters and Traders' Association Limited. 
At an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Members of 
the abovenamed Association, duly convened and held at 
165, Fenchurch-street, in the city of Loodon, on the 21st 
day of March, 1889, the following extraordinary Resolu- 
tion was duly passed : — 
" That it has been proved to the satisfaction of this 
Meeting that the Association, by reason of its liabilities, 
cannot continue its business, and that it is advisable to 
wind up the same, and accordingly that the Association 
be wound up voluntarily." 
And at the same meeting, Mr. Walton Fitzjames Turner, 
of the firm of Messrs. Fox, Greig, and Turner, of 20, 
Great Winchester-street, E. C., was appointed Liquidator 
for the purposes of such winding up. 
W. C. Searle, Chairman. 
Sir Roper Lethbridge, M. P., was the Chairman of 
the Directors of this now defunct Company. 
Madras Sponges. — The last number to hand of the 
" Annals and Magazine of Natural History " contaias 
an interesting account of a collection of Sponges from 
the Gulf of Manaar, obtained in the neighbourhood of 
the Tuticorin Pearl Banks, last year, by Dr. Thurston, 
the Superintendent of the Madras Central Museum. 
Mr. Arthur Dendy, a specialist in this branch of Natu- 
ral History, who was entrusted with the description 
of the collection, speaks highly of its scientific value, 
which is enhanced by the fact that Dr. Thurston had 
carefully preserved portions of the species in 
spirit, and kept a record of their colors in the living 
state, precautions which proved of great service in 
distinguishing the species, and investigating their min- 
ute anatomy. The collection comprises 24 determin- 
able species, of which 14 are new to science, and 2 
are represented by new varieties. Amongst the old 
6pecies, there are several forms of very great interest, 
one of them being Axinella tubulata, a species hitherto 
scarcely known at all, while among the new species the 
most important is Spongionclla Nigra.'— Madras Times. 
