I ? 2 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
LJ UL\ J, 1881 
Bohemian Tea. — For some years past spurious black 
and green teas have been n anufactured from the 
leaves of the Lithospermum officinale (Gromwell) in 
Bohemia. These have in some instances been palmed 
off in the market as "Chinese," but have mostly 
been used not only in Bohemia but in other coun- 
tries in Europe as an adulterant for fine teas. The 
chemist, A. Vogel, has subjected the plant to a care- 
ful botanic chemical analysis, and found that :— fheine 
or any other alkaloid is not found in the plant, but 
only cellulose, gluten, gum, glucosides, fat, ethereal 
oil, resin, tannin, chlorophyl, albumen, acid salts, 
water, &c. Dextrine also appears to be present, in 
it. The composition of the teas made from the plant 
we are told " differs greatly and notably from that 
of Chinese tea." The genus of plants Lithospermum 
belong to the natural order Boraginaceae. There are 
several species of the plant, but tbe most important 
is the Lithospermum officinale: — Indian Tea Gazette. 
Gold Prospecting in Sooth India. — A paper pub- 
lished by the Madras Government refers to the ques- 
tion of prospecting. In previous orders the Govern- 
ment resolved to omit this subject from consideration 
in framing leases for mining for gold and metab 
other than gold, but it has since occurred, to them 
that some kind of temporary exclusive privilege might 
properly be given to prospectors who desire to teet 
specific localities closely. They think that ordinary 
prospecting does not require any special protection, 
but where prospectors have obtained promising indica- 
tions it may be reasonable to grant what may be termed 
"proving" leases for a limited time over a limited 
area to test results more closely, say for six montbs 
or a year, over half a square mile, though the area 
might be extended if the block was compact. This 
arrangement would afford reasonable facilities for test- 
ing before applying for a mining lease, and would 
protect intelligent and scientific research. It is 
necessary that the area should not be excessive to 
avoid risk of excluding others who may have more 
bona fide intentions than the concessionaires. 
Cultivation of Kapok in Java. — A planter in 
Bantam writes : — " In your issue of 19th March, I 
notice a remark about planting ' kapok ' trees. I 
am doing that on a small estate of my own. The 
cotton trees are planted between the rows of Liberi- 
an coffee and give just enough shade for the coffee, 
and at the foot of the cotton trees I am planting pepper. 
You of course already know that pepper thrives 
the best on kapok trees. At least, it is thought so 
by all people of experience in this country. I am 
using two of Fowler's steam ploughs on this estate, 
and I am happy to say we are gradually overcoming 
all the difficulties which attend the introduction of 
swc/t things in India and especially in Java. Others 
have already followed my example, and I trust the 
use of steam cultivating will soon become general 
here. For cane steam ploughs are the thing. / also 
prepare the ground for tea, and Liberian coffee with 
them." 
Cultivation of the Aloe. — A discovery which pro- 
mises to have important results has lately been made 
by a scientific gentleman in the island of Reunion, 
situated near the Mauritius. He claims to have 
succeeded in solving the problem of extracting veget- 
able fibre from the aloe or other leaes in an econ- 
mical manner, and one which can be genera ly adopted. 
The principal features of the invention are as follows : 
— The leaf is first placed for 10 minutes in a batb 
heated to 95 Fah. and then removed to a second bath 
of water at its normal temperature, in which some 
inexpensive chemical substance (not yet made public) 
has previously been mixed. The leaves are allowed 
to remain some ittle time in the second bath, after 
which it is said that tbe fibre ean be washed out by 
women or children without any trouble. A patent 
has been taken out for this process by its inventor. 
As the aloe is known to grow as freely as weeds in 
this colony this discovery would appear to present 
the means of establishing a new and profitable in- 
dustry for a very large proportion of our population. 
— The Inquirer. 
Chinchona Seed. — Sir Joseph Hooker has received 
an important communication from Mr. Robert Thom- 
son, formerly Superintendent of the Chinchona Planta- 
tions, Jamaica, but now resident at Bogota, in which 
an account is given of a new kind of Chinchona, the 
cultivation of whicb in British possessions may prove 
to be very desirabie. The bark which is now a 
considerable article of commerce, only contains two 
to tbree per cent of quinine. Mr. Howard, however, 
says that " the quinine, though not abundant, is pure." 
Its botanical origin is at present unknown, but ac- 
cording to Mr. Howard, the bark is known as Chuiu 
Cuprea. The important feature about this species 
from the point of view of cultivation is the low 
elevation above the sea at which it will grow, its 
native range being from 2,000 to 3,000 feet. Sir Joseph 
Hooker is extremely anxious to obtain seeds and plants 
of the new species with the aid of Mr. Thomson. 
In the mean time Mr. Thomson is anxious to procure 
in some quantity seed "of the fine kind of Chinchona 
officinalis spoken of by Mr. Howard that grows in 
ths Nilgiris." The Conservator of Forests, Madras 
has been desired by Government to forward direct 
to Mr. Thomson an adequate supply of seed of the 
fine kind of ' Chinchona officinalis ' whicb grows on 
the Nilgiris. On receipt of intimation by Government 
of its despatch, the Secretary of State will be in- 
formed accordingly, in view to Sir Joseph Hooker's 
services being enlisted for obtaining plants of the China. 
Cuprea. — Madras Mail. 
Planting in South Cookg. — A planter writes from 
South Coorg to a Ceylon friend i — " In this, the 
' Bamboo district ' of Coorg, the best coffee is to 
found. The soil is very rich and jungle good. Nearly 
all the estates are under shade and on any new land 
opened the timber or jungle shade, is kept, as it is 
the best. Where the trees are of a bad kind, they are 
cut down and artificial shade planted. Last year on 
some estates here the crops were a failure, but al- 
though rather shorter than the year previous we had 
very good crops, and this year better prospects all 
over are anticipated. Cinchonas are being tried here 
and are doing well on high elevations. Round about 
my bungalow here, they are doing well : ' eucci- 
rubra ' plants, at an elevation of 3,300 feet or so. 
We have just got up a supply of cocoa plants for 
a trial. You of course grow them successfully in 
iJeylon. I wish you would give me the 'straight 
tip ' as we are novices as yet in cocoa cultivation, 
We can put them in at an elevation of from 2,500 
feet up to 3 500 feet, under shade or in open in 
loamy soil or friable. Our rainfall last year was 52 
inches, but it ranges between 45 and 75 inches in 
this locality, but within fifteen miles or even less 
250 inches can be got. I would like you to give 
me some information also about the indiarubber tree, 
the varieties for cultivation, &c, and if seed can be 
procured. A little Liberian coffee has been tried 
on a neighbouring estate here, and after it had been 
in for eight years it is not at all a fruitful tree. 
It grows there at an elevation of 2,500 feet or so. 
A few plants are to be tried between this and Telli- 
cherry at an elevation of about 1,000 feet, but doubts 
are entertained of its ever being successful here. 
Coffee is such an uncertain thing that people are 
beginning now to see that something else must be 
tried to keep the 'pot boiling ' when bad crops 
of coffee are got. There was a great gold mania 
here and everywhere else, about two months ago, 
but it is dying out. That there is gold is certain, 
but the quantity is not large enough for profit, as 
far as assays have yet gone." 
