542 
TttE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Feb. i, 1894. 
Tea Cdltivation — is now being tried by tbe 
farmers of tbe Lydenberg dietriot in tbe Tr^^^DHvaal 1 
— no doubt prompted thereto by the Bucoess wbicb 
has attended oenain tea gsrdeuB in Natal. 
The Ratnapura Planting District. — We hear 
very encouraging aocouotu of tbe progrees of tea 
estates in this neighbourhood : the growth and ap- 
pearance of youDg clearings are described as ver; 
good. 
Chemical Industry in Jamaica. — The West 
Indies Chemical Works (Limited) is the title of 
a new enterprise about to be established at Sparisb 
Town, Jamaica— says Chemist and Druggist — tbe 
object being the extraction of dye from lo^jwood, 
osehaw, and other vegetable Bubstancef . 
Messrs. Davidjon's Sir'cco Works — Several 
weeks ago our London correspondent reported an 
interview he bad had with Mr. Macguire of Messrs. 
Davidson & Co. regarding a new system of tea 
drying to be introduced aad now we see that the 
steps which he indicated are being taken to enlarge 
the premises of the firm ii Colombo for the 
exhibition of tbe now machinery. This exten- 
sion of business occurs very opportunely in 
view of the state of the loeal labour market as 
it Will no doubt provide employment for a number 
at all events of those who had been employed at tbe 
Government Factory. 
The "Agricultural Gazette" of New South 
Wales, pablished by the Department of Agriouliura, 
Vol. IV. Part 10 from October, 189a, has reaohed 
ns. It has for contents : — 
Useful AuKtralian Plaots by J. H. M»ii1en. Ironbark"; 
Botanioai Not « J. H. M-ii ien Acrotriche serruhta ; 
Lomatia silaifolia (Tho Vnia'cy Fora) : Oivenia acidula 
(Co.aur); Praiiiug, A. H. BeiieoD ; Pl«ut Di-eiis e 
and tbeir remedi* s, N. A Cul'b, Diseases ol the SiiK>ir- 
cane. Practical Vegetable Orowins Direclionx for the 
Mouth of November; Ofchar.l Opersii ns for Nov. 
General Notes. Experimsnial Tob&cco-urowiog; A 
Market for PruneB , Co mbtj' Sugar tables ; Fruit 
Stor(> at Palmdale, Ouiioibah; The intn dQctii n of 
the Houey Bee ; Marketiog Oranges; Pigt aud Fowls 
as Insect and Weed Destroyers ; Hr iteotioa of Plants 
Kga nst the L<rv9B. — Agricnitral Shows, 1893. 
Mr. Maiden shews that there are five kinds of 
iron-bark in New South Wales. We shall quote 
largely from his paper into the Tropical Agri. 
cu wrist. 
The Stoppage of Brazilian Trade. — The 
London Tivies oorrespoooeot writes strongly abiut 
the evils wrought by the present state of affairs 
in Brazil. His figures for exports are of special 
interest. We quote as folb ws : — 
A complete reorganization of administrative and 
financial methods ia an absolute necessity if Brazil 
is to be saved from bankruptcy. He adds : —That 
Brazil has very great resources capable of rapid 
development under good Government nobody dis- 
putes, but such development and progress need en- 
couragement of a kind non-existent in the country 
under the present regime. As a rough estimate 
of the value of produce exported by the entire 
country the following figures may be taken as ap- 
proximately correct : — 
Coffee, say, 6,500,000 bags of 60 kilos 
(1301b.)e^ch ., £29.010 000 
Buhber, sugar, and tobacco . . 6,000,000 
Cotton ... .. 500 000 
Hides and skins .. .. 350,000 
Other products . . . . 1 200,000 
£36,1150,010 
Oofiee and rubber have been the two mainstays 
np till now, hut cereals arid many other products 
for which Brazil ia dependent on the outside world 
could be grown in the southern States, not only for 
liQmt ooDsQtnptioui bat alsQ for export. 
sm » r ■ - - 
Fine Yield bf Tea. — A crop of 7001b. an 
acre ail over is expected from some of tbe tea 
fi llj in Upper Haputale this year! It will be 
dilfirult to teat this for any considerable Mreage 
elsewhere in tbe island. 
China Tea. — The writer on this Bubject in 
reference to the cheapness of silver, should know 
that the question is one which has been exercising 
the local planting and mercantile public a great 
deal and that there is a Commiseion at this 
moment sitting upon it, cr upon what is very 
much the same thing, our Currency problem. At 
the same time be should also know that London tea 
experts and dealers do not think tb&t tbe British 
public could go back to the use of China tea 
to any serious extent even if it were still farther 
cheapened ; but this opinion is by no means in- 
fnllibi'j and it remains to be seen what this season 
may shew to us. 
Tabloid Tea — We bave circulated the packet of 
tea tabloids roaod tbe Fort, so tbtt mercbatita aod 
o*bers interested can ^et for themselveg mbmt tbey 
are like. Mr. Jobn Uogor, tbe patentee, i* full of 
faitb in bis mvc-ntion, and hopes to be lo Ceylon 
sbortly for tbe purpose of olitaining seme informat on 
with regard to tbe ey'tem of msnufarture now 
carried cut, as some ten is found very difficult to 
compress into tabloids. For onr own part tbe tabloids 
seem to h>>ve lost much of tbe flavour that the 
tea must have originally contained, bat it is po'eible 
that this may be overcome by some cbaoge ia tbe 
process. At all events it woald be a great tbinp if 
tbit drawback could be overcome, as tbe cbeopneas of 
tbe tabloids would recommenl them to (boasauds. 
The Packing of Ecgs — It is well known, eays 
a continental contemporary, that eggs by being 
packed in chopped t-tt&w, hay, or sawdnst acquire 
an after-taste. This inconvenience may be overeome 
by a new and original mntbod of packing, which 
has recently been patented by F. Seyferth, of 
Hamburg. In accordance with this new method 
the eggs are put into watertight vessels which can 
be closed on all siries. the lid is put on, and thea 
through an opening the interstices between the 
eggs sre filled with water or a solution of salt. 
Through this method, the effect of wh ch seems 
incredible at first, tbe breakoge of eggs is rendered 
absolutely impossible, provided the vessels need 
for packing are absolutely full of the liquid; while 
tbe eg^s cannot acquire tbe slightest after-taste. 
Moreover, tbe frequent drying-np of the contents 
of the eggs is rendered impossible.— Commerce. 
Coffee and Cocoa in Jamaica. — The Jamaiea 
Post urges greater attention to the preparation of 
these products. In its issue of December 2nd we 
rtad: — " Tbe cocoa crop ia now in full swing, and 
from all acocnnts is a satisfactory one. In some 
districts an unnsually go .>d yield is reported. Un- 
fortunately our strictures on cocoa apply equally 
to coSee. Bad curing or rather no oaring at all, 
is the rule. As we recently pointed ont, there 
ia more care now devoted to this crop than 
hitherto, amor g the large growers. Tbe fermenting 
is better und-rsieod and also more extensively 
praolieerl, and a nnmber of drying machines are 
now in use. We have not heard if C=>ylon prices 
being reached yet, but no doubt with increased 
experience, better results are in store. A great 
deal of the land now lying waste might be profit- 
ably planted in cocoa. Requiring as it does, so 
little expenditure in its preparation for market, 
it is very suitable for the man of small means. 
Oareful planting, provision of shade, pruning and 
manuring at tbe right time are all it needs, In 
the curing of the bean, there is as we haye already 
stated, maoh room (or improTemoot," 
