May i, 1882.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
939 
and the mate is sweeter to the taste than coffee, and 
may be drunk without sugar. Moreover, it may with 
advantage pass through seven or eight successive boilings 
each time in fresh water, and the last infusions will 
be better than the first, but in this case it must not 
be allowed to get cold. 
This product is now sold at the rate of 5s fid and 
6s fid per 15 kilogrammes (3?^ lb.), delivered at 
Antouine, a shipping port in Parana, and as each 
kilogramme furnishes 40 litres (about 3b' quarts) of a 
strong infusion, the cost per litres is less than a farthing. 
But this rate would be still less if th 're were proper 
means of traffic from the woods, carr age being three 
times as expensive as the original article. A great 
reduction might fairly be anticipated if railways or 
even good roads were eoustrueied ; but at present the 
transit is made by means of mules along stoep and 
rugged paths. From a chemical analysis of this plant, 
it appears that it contains the same properties as coffee, 
'an alkaloid, with oleaginous essences and resinous 
gums, but as the quautiby of the latter present is much 
greater than in coffee, the nutritive element is superior. 
This analysis is coufirmod by experience. The in- 
habitants drink nothing else, and with mate and meat 
they live well, without experiencing any desire for 
bread or vegetable, although the country is favourable 
for the cultivation ol maize and potatoes, if necessary. 
The cattle tenders often remain absent for days from 
all human habitation with their herds, and are con- 
tent to forego their usual meals if only they have a 
good supply of mate, which thus appears to be an 
active element of food, and, unlike coffee, produces 
neither sleeplessness nor palpitation. — Planters' Gazette. 
MATE DRINKING. 
Tho following communication has been addressed to 
a contemporary :— 
SlB, — For some two or three years I have been a 
"mali' drinker. " and am delighted to rind myself not 
alone in my "indulgence." Considering the easy com- 
munication and frequent intercourse between Englind 
and the Argentine Republic,, it has been a source 
of wonder that the drink of Paraguay has not loug 
ago been popularised in this couutry. In the Paris 
Exhibition of 187S the "yerba," as it is called, was 
sold, but, juding from an extremely musty and stale 
specimen which I saw in a friend's hands, was per- 
haps not calculated to inspire conlidence. The tea 
(or herb rather) will keep in perfectly good condition 
for a long time, if preserved in a cow-skin bag in 
which it is sold; in fact, 1 have some by me now 
three years old. The chief dilliculty is to make the 
tea. Although, to quote the advertisements, it is done 
by "simply pouring boiling water," yet this requires 
to be done very deftly, or else tho pipe through 
which the drink is sucked becomes clogged with dust 
and twigs, and the cup which does ''not inebriate" 
fails also to "cheer." The process of making, to be 
successful, is thus performed: — Having procured your 
"mate," which in the small gourd from which the 
tea is drank, put into it two or three spoonfuls of 
the "yerba," or tea, and then closing the top of the 
mate with the hand, turn it upside down, and shake 
it well. Tho object of this proceeding is to biing the 
dust to the top and the twigs to the bottom (when 
the cup is returned to its normal position). Having 
shaken it thus, turn tho gourd slowly round till the 
"yerba" has fallen back just enough to euable you 
to remove your hand from the orilice without spilling 
tho contents. Then tako the " bombilla," a silvur 
tube with a pierced bulb at tho end, and ship iho 
samo car. fully under tho "yerba," aud turn the 
"mate" upright, being wry careful Dot to shake the 
contents. Thou "pour the boiling water," adding 
sugar if desired, aud the drink is ready when it has 
stood (say, one minute). Each "charge" will bear 
watering perhaps three times, after which it should 
be cleaned out. I fear that some Europeans will be 
inclined to object to the proeers of drinking, which 
is as follows: — The servant, either black or white, 
nlways has first suck (in order to clear the tube of 
dust), the "mate" is then handed to the party one 
by one, aud all draw in the liquid through the same 
pipe. But use accustoms one to anything, and I have 
drunk contentedly from tbe steaming cup in* very 
mixed and somewhat questionable company ere now, 
upon the prarie, and should be quite ready to "repeat 
the dose." The drink has one great advantage — it 
is cheap; if my memory fails me not, it is about 
Is. per lb. The mate and bombilla cost, say, 10s. 
I believe moreover, that it has great "staying powers." 
The Gauchos in South America say 1 hat i f you want 
to ride "long and strong" take a piece of bread and 
a "matd." A Chileno I once met on board ship said 
that he went through the famine of the Commune 
in Paris on "mate." Possibly, like Alexander Selkirk, 
"his right there was none to dispute," and while his 
hungry but unenlightened fellow-sufferers would have 
quarrelled over his boots, they allowed him to take 
his cup in peace. Apologising for consuming so much 
of your space in singing the praises of " another 
drink, " I remain yours, 
Ernest Geldart. 
Little Braxted Rectory, Witham. 
— South American Journal. 
SOMETHING ABOUT THE POTATO. 
The general cultivation of the potato, as made 
known to us by the chemists who have been study- 
ing this branch of the tuber. Generally speaking, 
large seed produces more large potatoes than small 
seed. Most people might take this for granted, with- 
out corroborating the supposition by numerous ex- 
periments, as the chemist does, for the chemist must 
bring forward positive results only to bear out his 
suppositions. 
The influences of the blossoms makes a great deal 
of difference in the yield of the crop, as the follow- 
ing results show :- 208 centrs. 19 lb. of tubers were 
obtained from plants from which the blossoms had 
been removed, and only 1S1 centrs. 4S lb. from plants 
not so treated. I do not think many readers of 
Knowledge would have thought that tho differeuce 
could have been so great. 
It has been found that the growth of sprouts on 
potatoes depends on their nearness to the apex of 
tbe tuber ; if they are treated with water in sun- 
light, the growth iucreases forty or fifty times, 
although this not the case in the dark. Absence of 
light is necessary for the growth of young tubers. 
Heat produces very beneticial results to the grow- 
ing plant. On this account too early plautiug is 
injurious, for potatoes require the samo total heat, 
to bring out the leaf buds : so, should t ho plants 
be planted too soon, it would require, as experiment 
shows, perhaps forty days instead of fourteen to bring 
them to this stage, but it is well, at the tamo time, 
to bear iu mind the fact that if they are left too 
late, the ground will become equally unsuitable. 
Potato rot is the next point to be considered, of 
which there aro three kiuds— viz., dry, wet, and 
sweet rot. Iu the dry aud wet rot it ha» been found 
thai the potatoes with tho maximum starch resist 
tlto disease most effectually. Potatoes grown on moist 
soils ami soda Containing much organic matter aro 
most liable to tho disease. The starch in diseased 
I potatoes is yellow, but can bo used for ma;. uueturing 
a scsoud qua it y of dextrin. In dry rot the tuber 
1 is loose aud sp >ugy, coated ou iho ontndo with 
