April 2, 1894.I TME TROPICAL AGRlCtJLtURlSt. 
675 
as is well-known, entera into combinations with 
albumen which materially prejudices its digesti- 
bility. These three principal substances vary very 
mucti with the method of preparatioo. If the 
aoffee is simply infused in water at the boiling 
point, and allowed to cool at once, we get little 
oaffdin, a great deal of the aroma, and scarcely a 
trace of tanoin. If we allow the coffee to boil for a 
time, the aroma is dissipated, passing oii' with the 
steam ; we gat more oaffain, and the longer it is 
boiled, the more tannin is dissolved out. 
These experiments cooficm the view generally 
expressed by physicians, that cofiee long boiled 
prejudices digestion, while a simple infusion facili- 
tates it ; but its beneficiial action in the latter 
case ij now shown to be due, not to direct chemical 
action on the albumen present, but indirectly to 
its action on the nerves of the stomach promoting 
the secretion of gastric juice. In other words, its 
action is physiological, not chemical. 
Turuing now to tea, ha finds its constituents very 
nearly similar. The tea leaves also contain caffein 
(called, also, theine), aromatic substances and 
tannin. Consequently in tea, as in coffee, the 
properties of the beverage depend very much 
on whether it is an infusion or a decoction. 
The problem is very simple. The traveller on 
tJie march will find himself benefited most by the 
cafifein, and to secure this the cofiee must be 
brought to, and maintaired for a few minutes 
at the boiling point. But to take boiled cofiee 
after a full meal impedes digsstion and heigh 
tens the heart's action unduly. On the other 
hand, an infusion of tea or cofi'ee, takea at such 
times, facilitates digestion and exerts a whole 
some and exhilarating action on the narvous 
system. Long boiling, or stewing near the 
boil, of eittier tea or cofiee, brings out all the 
tannin, which is always prejudicial to digestion. 
As a coasequenca, the practice of keeping tea or 
coEae hoi upon the s;ove is a pernicious one- — 
American Grocer. 
THE OPENING FOR PLANTBES IN SOUTH 
AND EAST AFRICA. 
London, Feb, 16, 
You were told in my last letter that it was 
probable that 
SIR QEOKGE CAMPBELL 
might be seen by me before next writing on the 
subject respecting which you have lately shown 
BO great an interest — the future of South-Eastern 
Africa in its possible relation to Ceylon. Daring the 
week Sir George has kindly granted me the op- 
portunity of a long oonversa'iion upon this matter. 
He told me he strongly endorse! the view put 
forward by yourselves, that in the first-mentioned 
country there m'ght be found the latter's oppor- 
tunity in respect to the openings it miy hereafter 
afiord to many young men trained among you in 
t^a and oofit3e and other cultivation. He acknow- 
ledged that nothing could better fit a man for 
embarking in planting operations in the newly- 
opened-up regions of South Africa than a prelimin- 
ary training in suoh a scliool of teaotiing as 
Geyloa affords. According to all accounts that 
we receive from you, there is likely, ere many 
months pass, to be a large number ot youag men 
who have become so qualifiei for whom it will be 
impossible to tind fittiug emplojment in Ceylon. It 
is well-known tbat such a surplusage is ever 
a source of social discontent and of social dangi^r. 
Sir George Oampbell believes ihat a held ii opaning 
IN SODIH ATMCA 
above class as you will ba able to spare to it. He 
remarked to me:— "Of coursfl, I am not able to 
speak to you on this subject from knowledge locally 
acquirad. All I may say, therefore, must be sub- 
ject to discount from this cause. Still, as you know, 
I have taken a very considerable and widely dis- 
tributed interest in the Companies now formed 
for developing the agricultural and mining industries 
in Matabeleland, and I have neaessarily been 
brought into personal contact with many men who 
from their loaal knowledge may ba regarded as 
authorities. It has been necessary for me to 
closely examine and sift the information gained 
from these, and as the result to my having done 
EO I have honestly adopted the conclusion that 
South Africa is to bo the future El Dorado ot 
our British youth. Of course, I am not alluding 
to such settled lands as those of Natal and the 
Cape Colony. Those who seek to try their fortune 
in Matabeleland must make up their minds to a 
rougher life and to possibly greater vicissitudes than 
are now experienced by those who have passed 
through the fire in the two more advanced 
colonies. But I can imagine no better opening for 
a young man who has acquired planting knowledge 
in Ceylon than the magnificent table-lands of 
the Matabele region affords. Tlia climate, from 
all accounts, is perfect, and the soil ot the utmost 
fruittulness, and in many parts entirely virgin. 
What we of the Buluwayo Syndicate, of which I 
am Chairman, are doing, is securing at very 
nominal prices the concessions of lands and 
mining claims made to those who volunteered for 
the campaign against Lobengula. Each of these 
are to ba allowed to select 5,000 acres and 120 
claims (I must state these figures under reserve, 
not feeling sure that my memory accurately retains 
those given me by Sir George. — Correspondent.) 
There are, of course, very few of the recipients 
of these concessions who have the capital to 
develop them for themselves. They will, therefore, 
part with a portion ot them in order to secure 
sufficient capittl to attempt the development ot 
the balance. This necessity it is of which the 
Buluwayo Syndicate is taking advantage. Our first 
step has been to eeoura as large a proportion of 
these concessions as we can obtain. And you 
must recollect that each concessionaire has the 
privilege of selecting his own lands and claim, a 
privilege, of course, thit will extand to those 
purchasing his r ghts from him. So it is not to 
be doubted that before very long we shall have 
acquired a very large amount of very valuable 
land most suited to sub-tropical agriculture, aa 
well as a very considerable number of mining 
claims. There will certainly soon be a rush to 
secure these lands and claims. It has been so in 
other parts of the new South African territories, 
and it will find a parallel in iVIatabeleland. 
Naturally we, who are putting our money into thia 
speculation, look for a good return from it. When I 
tall you that one such Company I am connected 
with has already been able to pay us a dividend 
of 125 per cent, you will admit the possibilities 
which we believe to lie before our venture. You 
will have seen that the Buluwayo Syndicate has 
a'ready quadrupled its original capital. That increase, 
whan proposed by me, was at once subscribed for 
among the shareholders present in the room, and 
any further amount we may require can be got 
without diOioulty. I do hopa those in Ceylon 
who do not find their prospacts bright will 
give consideration to the possible lisld opening 
for th;m in South Africa. I fully thiok it 
woul 1 be to their advantage to do so. Tho olimata 
seems to be meat suitable, and raihviys alreidy 
baye ome ,wi(t)iQ (ba i9kQb o( a (<jW ^^ty<^^^ 
