December i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
499 
in Ceylon. — We are re- 
Smith of Mattakelly had 
Ir. A. M. Ferguson in Sept. 
Mr. Leechman and Capt' 
Tina 
ill be seen 
1 to India as a tea 
in Natal, where the 
said to thrive better 
a 1 he cost of cultiva- 
plant has been introduced, and 
than it does in this country, wl 
tion is much less. The flavour of the manufactured 
leaf is said to be superior to China tea, and does riot 
possess the pungency that is peculiar to most Indian 
teas. — Englishman. 
Cross Fertilisation of Wheat — Some successful 
experiments have been lately made in America in the 
cross fertilisation of wheat, a feat which has probably 
never before been accomplished, and which, owing to 
the peculiar structure of the flower, presents great 
difficulties. Ripe seeds have been obtained from the 
plants operated on. but 
the new plants will combii 
two parent varities. — Ibid. 
Coffee and Nkw Pro 
con 
firsti 
takei 
desir 
conv 
no.v 
as to be seen whether 
the characteristics of the 
Holloway 
1 On second 
etter from 
:i is doing 
ay not be 
My whole 
products. 
as meant in chaff, but 
; wish for no P. A. prize, 
ke Coflca Arabica pay, as I am firmly 
11, in the end, hold its own among all 
I have, by careful watching and pro- 
per treatment, proved beyond a doubt that, in spite 
of leaf disease and other evils, it does yet pay where 
properly cultivated. I plant all new products, but 
will not neglect "the goose that lays the golden eggs." 
" Tea-planting in Ceylon."— An India tea-planter, 
now in Ceylon, notices the pamphlet on tea cultivation 
and manufacture published at this office, as follows : — 
"The essay seems complete enough in a general way, but 
might have been more concise in dcaliug with thedifferent 
stages of manufacture. I am not in a position as yet to 
offer an opinion on the 'selection of land,' 'plant- 
ing out' &c, as I 've been only a f 
island, but my idea was an arrang 
on manufacture' principally, begin: 
ing,' and dealing with the different stag* 
como in order. If the Ceylon teas are to take 
eut position in the London market, much 
teution must bo given to the 'withering,' 
ing,' and 'sorting' stages, as the general 
is that L hey want strength, although the flavor is nil 
that could be desired." 
II m i 1 ale. — A correspondent referring to this dis- 
trict writes :—" You gave me some Liberiau coffee 
seeds some months ago. I lost no time in sending 
them to . Enclosed letter will shew the result. The 
estate is 4,000 to 5,000 feet elevation." The extract 
from the manager's letter is as follow! : — "The Libe- 
rian coffeo seed has altogether failed, notwith- 
standing all the caro bestowed on the nursery. Only 
about \ of the seeds germinated and these only one 
or two at a time, but these would die before throw- 
ing out the first pair of leaves and so on right 
through the nursery. The last plant died yesterday. 
I do not think it possible to laiso a plant at this 
elevation. Heavy rain loll here yesterday ; though 
today has been line : the monsoon is not far off, and 
1 i-xpect to bo able to plant out cinchona at the 
beginning of next week. The estate is looking well, 
and the erop is beginning to hliow up. I think I 
may safuly say I never saw loss kaf-dneaso on tho 
«»tate than now." 
nths in the 
of ' notes 
ith ' prun- 
es as they 
9 a promin- 
1 more at- 
' ferment- 
smplaint 
Lime is not a general remedy for grub, and dig- 
ging is too expensive for many estates to indulge in. 
But are we for these reasons to do nothing ? The 
very least the Government could do would be to 
offer a large reward to any one who may discover 
a cheap and effectual poison that at the same time 
would not be injurious to the vegetation. But of this 
I have small hopes. — Cor. 
Coffee and Chicory. — In a long paper on "The 
Skin and Complexion " contributed to the Daily Ntv)8, 
by John L. Milton, Senior Surgeon of St. John's 
Hospital for the Skin, London, we find the followiug 
paragraph, one part of which ought to be printed in 
letters of gold and a copy sent to every English 
household, at the expense of the Colombo Chamber 
of Commerce : — The diet for any one who suffers at 
all from the skin must be good ; above all, the reader 
should start with a substantial breakfast. Coffee, made 
from the freshly-roasted berry — ground at tho time of 
using, without any chicory (which is only to be regarded 
as a poison) is one of the firtt, necessaries. No cumbrous 
machines are wanted — such things only get foul ; coffee 
is best made by simply pouring boiling water upon 
the ground berry, and putting the pot upon the fire 
to boil for a few minutes. If tea be preferred, it 
should be made with some variety of the pure old 
China black, like the Lap?ang Souchong. Hill tea 
will not do for skin disease, especially when coupled 
with diepepsia ; some specimens are so loaded with 
6tarch that when boiling water is poured upon the 
leaves and allowed to stand for a few minutes it be- 
comes like thin arrowroot. But even the best tea should 
never be allowed to draw ; from one to two minutes 
is [] quite enough to extract all that is refreshing. 
India-rubber Gathering in Columbia. — An inter- 
esting account is given of this process in a report 
just issued by the United States Consul at Cartha- 
gena. When the hunter has found a rubber-tree he 
first clears away a space from the roots, and then 
moves on in search of others, returning to com- 
mence operations as soon as he has marked all the 
trees in the vicinity. He first of all digs a hole in 
the ground hard by, and then cuts in the tree a 
V-shapctl incision with a machete, as high as he can 
reach. The milk is caught as it exudes and flows 
into the hole. As soon as the flow from tho cuts 
haB ceased the tree is chopped down, and the trunk 
raised from the ground by mean3 of an improvised 
trestle. After placing large leaves to catch the sap, 
gashes are cut throughout the entire length, and the 
milk carefully collected. When it first exudes the 
sap is of the whiteness and consistence of cream, 
but it turns black on exposure to the air. When 
tho hole is filled with rubber it is coagulated by 
adding hard soap or the root of the mechvacan, 
which have a most rapid action, and prevent the 
escape of the water that is always present in the 
fresh sap. When coagulated sufficiently the rubber 
is carried on the backs of the hunters by bark 
thongs to the banks of tho river and Boated down 
on rafts. The annual destruction of rubber-trees in 
Columbia is very great, and the industry must 
soon disappear altogether, unless the Government 
puts iu force a law that already exists, which com- 
pels the hunters to tap the trees without cutting 
them down. If this law were strictly carried out 
there would be a good opening for commercial 
enterprise, for rubber-trees will grow from S to 10 
inches in diameter in three or four years from seed. 
Tho trees require but little attention, and begin to 
yield returns sooner thnu any other. ThoBe that 
yield tho greatest amount of rubber flourish on the 
banks of the Simu and Aslato rivers. The value of 
the erudo india-rubber imported into the States annually 
is about 310,000.000.— London Timtt, 
