ioy6 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[June i, 1882. 
The local paper tells us that, after several days 
of unusually sultry weather, a thunderstorm burst 
over Dai jeeling on Friday afternoon, bringing with it 
a fall of rain which lasted for some hours. Some hail 
also fell on the road between Kurseong and Sonada, 
but nothing so far has been beard of damage being 
done to tea plantations. Tea manufacture is now in 
full swing throughout the district. The hot, sunny 
days which followed the rain that fell last week have 
had the natural effect of forcing out the flush very 
rapidly. — Pioneer. 
Large Demand and High Price for Tea Seed in 
1882. — We are imformed on the best authority that 
the demand for tea seed this year for season 1883 is 
already large, and is likely to be very much larger, 
while the prices asked and obtained are exceptionally 
high. We believe that the whole of the crop of the 
leading Assam seed gardens is already bespoken at a 
very high figure. This shows the intention to extend 
considerably in the various districts. Those desiring 
to secure seed for next season had better lose no time 
in making arrangements. — Indian Tea Gazette. 
Adulteration in the United States. — Bad as 
we are in the matter of adulteration in England, 
things are certainly worse in the United States, 
according to a report just presented by a com- 
mittee on the subject to Congress. For example black 
pepper has been so effectually sophisticated that the 
trade appears to have lost all knowledge of the genuine 
article. For tea Uncle Sam drinks black-lead, indigo, 
Prussian blue, chrome yellow, Venetian red, carbonate 
of copper, and arsenic of copper. The cup will hardly 
cheer the drinker who knows its composition. — Globe. 
Rubber Seeds. — We have seen some of the new 
kinds of rubber seeds imported by a gentleman who 
has placed them in the hands of Messrs. Lee, Hedges 
& Co. for sale, The importer writes : — " They are 
the first seeds of the kinds, I believe, ever imported 
into Asia, wtih the exception of a few Para seeds sent 
from Kew to Peradeniya. There have been a few 
Para cuttings distributed from these trees at Peradeni- 
ya, but it was found they would not grow from 
cuttings, and the trees are said not to have borne a 
seed as yet. So, with the exception of these few trees 
at Peradeniya planted far too close, I believe, and 
in an unsuitable place, Para rubber has not as yet 
had a trial in Ceylon. I was particularly warned 
of the limited demand for Ceara rubber, and I was 
told they did not use it at all, but that the demand 
for the superior rubbers was unlimited. I have had 
the greatest difficulty in getting these seeds, and I 
believe them to be of the very best kinds of rubbers 
or cultivation." 
A Newly Patented Tea Box has been introduced, 
says the H. & 0. Mail. It is the invention of Mr. 
W . H. Bennett. In appearance free from any striking 
novelties in design or construction, Mr. Bennett's box 
is said to deserve attention. Its chief merit aud pe- 
culiarity is that four novel and ingenious corner pieces 
give to the box a strength and solidity which are 
vei y remarkable. It would be difficult to give an idea 
of these singular corner pieces. It must suffice to 
say that they are angular, aud that the sides and 
ends of the dox are fixed to them in such a way 
tht, short of extraordinary violence, nothing is likely 
to disturb their contents. Is not this patent the same 
as Cantwell's invention, which we referred to 
some months ago ? The description is almost ident- 
ical. Anyhow, we should say it was truly sending coals 
to Newcastle to send wooden boxes to Calcutta, 
where they could be made quiie as well, and in- 
finitely cheaper. We have often expressed surprise 
that some enterprising man does not start a small saw- 
mill in Calcutta. The present tea chest is a barbarous 
affair, and in new markets is enough of itself to set the 
tiadc against looking al our teas,-*-- Indian Tea Gazelle. 
The "Tropical Agriculturist." — A Coorg planter 
"All who receive the Trop- 
.,o.l 
to Wl 
teal Aaricu/turixt in this quarter art; much pleased with 
it, and will, I think, continue to be regular supporters, 
the number of whom cannot fail to increase as the 
value of the publication be3omes generally known." 
The increase of the growth of Indian tea (says the 
Friend of India J has been very remarkable. The im- 
ports of China tea into the United Kingdom amounted, 
as early as 1864, to 120,214.000 lb. and in 1881 this 
had only increased lo 161,608,0001b. or by 34 per 
cent. The imports of Indian tea for the se.me two 
years were 3.285,000 and 46, l'.)5,000 lb., an increase 
for the latter year of 1,306 per cent. In 1864 the 
Indian article was 2 6 per cent, of the whole im- 
ports, and in 1881 29 2 percent. The following are 
the imports for a considerable time back: — 
China, Japan, and Java Tea. Indian Tea. 
Year. Lb. Year. Lb. 
1664 2 ... 1851... 262,839 
1?45 730,000 ... 1861... 1,520,000 
1746 2,358,589 ... 1864... 3.285,000 
1784 4,948.943 ... 1865... 2.510,000 
ls oo| ... Term in-itionof the 1866... 5,133,001 
1 ... K.I. (Jo 's monopoly 1807... 7,081,000 
1S64 120,'284,00o ... 1868... 8,133.000 
1808 118,480,1100 ... 1869... 15.522,000 
1869... 145,422,000 ... 1870.. 18^34,000 
1871 151,149,100 ... 1S71... 16,1' 1,000 
1872 161,:'02,000 ... 1872... 17.748,000 
1873 144.010 000 ... 1873... 19,390,000 
1874 139,876,' 00 ... 1874... 18,374,000 
1875 1H8,886,000 ... 1875... 26,114,000 
1876 155.997,000 ... 1876... 30,253,' >00 
1877 152,747,000 ... 1877... 33,753,000 
1878 164,898,000 ... 1878... 36,852, 00 
1879 145,212,000 ... 1879... 38,865,090 
1880 157,380,000 ... 18s0... 45,729,000 
1881 101,66-,000 ... 18 1... 46,105,000 
Fish Culture at the People's Park, Madras. 
—Mr. Thomas, the taleuted author of the "Rod in 
India," has undertaken >o improve the stock of fish 
in the People's Park. The authorities have promised 
him assistance, in the shape of money and machinery, 
&c, and the lovers of the gentle craft will, we be- 
lieve, ere long be able to enjoy excellent fishing in 
Madras. In the ponds at present, a great variety of 
fish are to be found; some of considerable size aud of 
great beauty, but they are badly arranged. Predatory 
fishes should be in a tank by themselves. This Mr. 
Thomas is about to rectify. Yesterday morning, at 
about 6 a.m., a large number of gentlemen and several 
ladies assembled to witness the capture of a lot of 
fish from a pond at the northern end of the Paik. 
A steam pump was set to work, and, soon cleared 
out almost the whole of the water. As it became 
low, the fish played aud darted about in every di- 
rection ; then a body of fishermen entered the water 
with casting nets, etc., and drew out hundreds of 
fish. The fierce-looking murral was drawn out in the 
same net with the lively magalops, and shoals of 
pretty silver fish of all shapes and sizes. Nutritious 
eels were netted with lazy tortoises ; the banks of the 
pond were soon a glittering mass of fish. They were 
quickly sorted, placed in chatties and conveyed to 
other ponds, all the fierce or predatory fish being 
placed in one particular pond. The scene proved 
very exciting to a laig^ number of kites and crows, 
who had a rich chota hazree on any struggling fish 
they could catch. After having partaken of tea and 
coffee provided by Mr. Thomas, and enjoyed the morn- 
ing very much, the party went away pleased with 
what they had seen. — Madras Mail. [We should be 
glad if our rivers and pools were equally well slocked. 
Bat the predatory fish, turned into the same pond 
to feed on one another, must have felt, as did the 
pickpockets at the Exhibition of 1851, when they 
found the Police showing thme all into one room !— Ed.} 
