THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Oct. 2, 1893, 
of the parts of the tender BhootB affected before 
hatching bad occurred could be confidently recom- 
mended. Unfortunately the first indications we get 
are the brown stains showing that the young Hdojidtii 
is already at work. The investigation of this point 
is to be strongly recommended to those in a position 
for observing it. 
There is thus made available, suiBoient information 
to enableevery tea.planter who should take part in the 
*' tea-bug oampaigo," to begin and carry on opera- 
tionB leading to the extermination of the peet. Our 
senior nine years ago, thought that the aid of the 
magnesium light might be called into requisition 
at night on oaoao plantations for the capture of the 
immature but destructive '■ cusses " at eight. But 
cooly children can evidently give a good account 
of large numbers of the enemy if set eystematically to 
work, during the day. On Mr.Eerkboven's tea estate 
in Java, they were regularly captured and " given to 
the dogs to eat." Ws trust in the case of Ceylon 
that the catching and killing process may result in J 
the practical extermination of the pest. It must be 
remembered that we have here not a fungus, but an 
insect to deal with — and an insect too of an 
appreciable size, so that there is nothing prima facie 
to prevent such a united campaign as we now 
advocate, under Dr. Trimen's advice, being fully 
suoceeeful in banishing " helopeltis antonii /' "tea 
bug" or "musquito blight " from every tea-field in 
COFFEE-TEA. 
The LordB of the Treasury will have to get the 
British Tariff revised and a new heading— Coffee- 
tea — introduced if this sort of thing, about the 
preparation of coffee leaves as tea, goes on. The 
Lancet is one of the most influential journals in 
the world on dietetic matters and when it speaks 
BO highly of " Coffee-tea " as in the following 
report, we may be sure a demand for the product 
will follow and there will be planters ready to 
meet it. Oeylon, however, we fear, can never do 
much in this way, unless the very leafy Liberian 
variety be taken advantage of for crops of leaves 
as well as, or in place of, berries. The Coffee- 
tea shown by Messrs. J. A. Haddea & Co. was, we 
learn, from Middleton estate, Dimbula. 
(From the "Lancet," Aug, bth ) 
(James A.Hadden & Co., 26 Fknchuhch-stheet, E.G.) 
In a recent article on the merits of Indian and 
Chinese teas we were led to remark that mankind would 
seem to have instinctively selected as the bases of 
common beverages amongst the plants at his disposal 
only those of seeds, fruit, .or leaves of which contain 
that istereBtiog body cafieine or theioe. It by no 
means follows, however, according to a short investi- 
gation that we have recently conducted, that man 
has eeleoted that part of the plant which yielda thd 
greatest abundance of (his alkaloid. He has done 
BO, it is trne, by choosing the leaves of the tea 
plant and of the mate plant of Paraguay and the 
unt of the . kola plant, but it would appear that 
in the cose of coffee he has arrived at a wrong 
ooDolusion, at least as regards the theioe-containicg 
portion. The coffee berry or seed contains but a 
feeble portion of theine, but of course there are other 
principles present which together make coffee a whole- 
some and agreeable beverage. According, however 
to> a reoent .analysis we have made, the dried leaves 
of the coffee plant are nearly as rich as regards 
theine a» is tea itself; moreover, they contain a 
smaller proportion of tannin than the stronger teas 
of India and Ceylon. Two specimen parcels of 
ooffee-tea, which really consists of the dried leaves 
of the coffee plant, have recently been submitted to 
us by. the above firm, and we have devoted some 
time to an analysis and an examination which a 
prodaol oi'tbii^noiqae ^rAoter demtods, preaentiogf 
as it does certain novel features which may asvigo 
ta it an important place amongst the bevt rages 
available for the use of man. The RampLes we btve 
submitted to anahsis formed ptrt of a receiit experi- 
mental consignment grown in the district of Ctylon 
called Dimbula, at an elevation of fr'/m 3.500 ft. to 
8,000* ft. On ezamioation oue proved to be a small 
broken leaf and the other a whole leaf sample. 
Both presented very closely the oLgract* rietio* of 
tea as regards appeareiice and aroma. Ttje infuaion 
made in the same vrty as ordinary t> a, h»d an 
agreeable aroma and a fall-bodied, tmootb, ihuugh 
bitter flavour, iu which tbere was a euggeeUou of 
tea; i' was entirely destitnte, however, of that 
delicate rooghn'ss cliaracterittic of a real t«a 
in''asi0D. The laste wes, in fact, somewhat insipid, 
but not disagreeably bitter, TCie specimen of bmaU 
broken leaf yielded the bett liquor on infusion in 
regard to body, flavour aud aroma, The following 
anslysis of botti rpKiiuens is very iuteresting as 
showiog that the dried leaves cf the coffee plant 
contain almost as mneh tbeiue as does tea, wbilst 
the tannic, which does tiot appear to be identical 
with the tannin of t«a, ii distiuctl; lets. Sample 1, 
whole leaf: tbtino, 2'(>6 per cent; tauoic, 7-14 per 
cent; extract, 3915 per cent; moistare, 7'6U per 
cent; mineral matter, 6°1U pet cent. Sample 2, 
small broken leaf : theine, 3 20 pir cent ; tannin, 
6 66 per cent ; extract, 84 -lU per cent ; moistare. 
7'09 per cent ; mineral matter, o'SU per ceLt. 
Although the flavour of the infusioa yielded by 
coffee-tfa compares unfavourably with bo'h that of 
the coffee and of tea, yet in view of the restorative aud 
refreshing properties which it must poesesi on 
account of the ezoellent proportion of theiue it con- 
tains it might be advantageously used b; many 
individuals, and e'lpeoially by thoce who are not 
able to tolerate coffee or tea. 
THE uduga:^ia tea and timber 
COMPANY, 
Which is being formed with a capital of 
H400,000 will, it IS proposed, acquire Udugama, 
Uinnedomine, aad Saumares estatee, the ooet ot 
the property being set down at B2ti0.000, 
machinery K50,U0o and cultivation, working ex- 
penses &o. K4U,0U0, The total acreage of the 
three estates wQich are from 18 to 24 miles from 
Galle, is 4,7 iU, 377 being tea, 149 areka, 
66 coconuts, 1,339 virgin forebt, and 2,779 ohena. 
At present it is proposed to issue 7,UUU shares 
of the value of li33U,000 and an estimate has 
been prepared showing profit at the rate of 13 
pet cent on the oallea up capital. The profit on 
ih? makiog of tea (for others as well as the 
estates in the Company) is eBtimated at BIO.OOO, 
on the making of chests ii25,000, on timber 1:112,000, 
and on rents, jungle sticks 6cc. B1,000. The 
vendors have SJgaitied their wuiiugness to accept 
in part payment of the purchase price 1,560 fully 
paia shares of the value of K78,O0O and the 
balance in cash. 
wynaad planters association. 
Proceedicgs of a General meeting held at Pootha- 
cooUie Bungalo«7, Friday, llih August, 1893. 
CiMCHONA. — Bead letter trom Baion von Kosenberg, 
President of the Kaonan Devan Plauters' Asuociation 
suggesting that statistics should be collected and 
published with a view oi proving that tbe prebeut 
low price ot bark is uot warranlej by the statistical 
position of the article. — Kesulved tnat the Honorary 
Secretary writs m reply that in tUe opiuiou of tnis 
Association the collection of such statistics would 
involve a great deal ot trouble and is not likely to 
have auy practical result. 
^ A mistake for 5,000 or at most 6,000 feet.- 
