Oct. t, 1894.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
243 
are resident in the United Kingdom, and o.in be 
teadily got to join for the purpose of pushing their 
interests. In Ceylou also the Government take* a 
more aotive and wisely benevolent interest in the 
industry. 
While the bocours of prompt action mast thug be 
given to Ceylou, the results of the exhibits of British 
teas at Chicago have been satisfactory alike to Ceylon 
and to India. Indeed, the E 1st India pavilion 
formed one of the features of the World's Show. 
]n this imposing building, draped with the rich 
textures of the East, a staff" of Indian servants 
distributed little pots of tea to all comer?, for,a time 
free of charge. Dainty cups, »ugar bowls, and cream 
in email jugs were placed in readiness on the tables. 
By degrees the crowd of visitors became so unmanage- 
able that it was found neceesary to charge a price, 
which gradually rose tt a shtllii g a pot, as the only 
means of keeping the d.mand within limits. 
The result nas been to bring Indian teai for the 
first time within the knowledge of the American 
consumer. Next to Great Britain the United States 
nre the largest tea purchaees iu the world. But un- 
fortunately the 90 million pounds which they take 
are almost ent're'y obtained from China and Jap?n. 
Indeed the Amerhan taste for tea has been formed 
upon the coarse kaf of thoso countria?, and the flue 
flavoured India and Ceylon te.»s were a new revelation 
to most of the visitors at Chicago. Over seventy 
awards of merit or honours were carried off by Indian 
plantations, and before the olose of the Exhibitiou 
1,500 Americu tea firms had stocked Indian teas. 
The Indiau Tea Association determined to make the 
most of the opening thus obtained. It hasananged 
to advertise and display Indian teas at the vaiious 
food shows, wbioh form a feature in parts of the 
United States during the coming winter an 1 spring 
with a staff of Indian servants at each. Until the 
show season begins, the Indian servants in their pic- 
turerque costumes are leDt to leading Amerioau tea 
firms, being moved on from store to store and from 
city to city aa required. The Ceylon planters have been 
even more energetic. They wonastill larger neasure 
of success, and have opened a central permanent depot 
for Ceylon teas in Chicago itself. 
Fortunately the interests of Iadia and Cejlon are 
in this matter identical. It is the inter est of the 
British tea planter as against the Chinese tea grower. 
The amount of British capital invested iu tea planta- 
tions is about 20 millions sterling. The contest is 
for the largest tea market in the world next to 
Great Britain. The trade in British teas has hitherto 
followed the flag. Can it now establish itself on a 
great soale in countries outside the British Empire. 
ECHOES OP SCIENCE. 
Professor McAdie states that an average thunder- 
oloud contains about 3C0 horee-power of electric 
energy. A flash of lightning a qnurter of a mile long 
practically means an electromotive force of millions 
of volts. A flash occurs when the electrical strain on 
the air is 1.37 pounds per square foot, so that the 
total electrio energy in a cubic mile of the strained 
air just on the point of flashing is about 70 mill'Oa 
foot-tons, that is to say, the energy required to raise 
a ton 70 million feet high. In these days of "trans- 
formers" and " home-made liKhtning," Mr. McAdie, 
as others have done before him, asks whether we an 
use this immense store of electricity in the higher 
atmosphere. It might be brought down by a modifica- 
tion of Franklin's kite. Professor Trowbridge shows 
that a disoharge keepi in the same puth tor 300-1000- 
part of a soooud, and imagines that a " step-down" 
transformer might he able to reuder it fit for the 
service of man. — Globe. 
Japanese Labour for Gautemah. — It is reported 
from Gautemala that President Barrios has sent 
M. Laugier as special emigration agent to Yoko- 
hama, with instruction to oontraot for 10,000 
Japanese labourere for six year*, to work on the 
Gautemala ooHoe plant itions,— ,S'iV!/» Observer, 
VARIOUS PLANTING NOTES. 
Price of Coconuts. — We draw attention to 
the note appended to a letter elsewhere, (see page 
245) giving the approximate value of coconuts per 
thousand since 1840 for each decade and at the pre- 
sent time. It will be observed that there has been a 
steady advance, until the price has mora than 
doubled in the past fifty years, that is in local 
currency. At the same time coconut oil in Europe 
is by no means so high as it was— in the time 
of the Crimean war for instance. 
"Kew Bulletin." — The June is3ue of the Bulletin 
of Miscellaneous Information from the Boyal 
Gardens, Kew, contains, as usual, several important 
papers devoted to tha following subjects : "Treat- 
ment of Diseased Sugar-canes in the West Indies," 
■'The Citron in Commerce," " New Orchids, Decade 
9," " Cold Storage of Fruit,'' '' Sisal Hemp at 
the Bahamas, and Gambia Pagns, or Native Cloths." 
Last, but not least, are the "Miscellaneous Notes," 
which are interesting to general as well as to 
scientific or teohnioal readers. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
Coffee Planting in the Cauoasus appears to 
have been started on a very small scal°, and to 
have prospered amaz'ngly in its early infancy, 
A tobacco grower in ths Kusban distriot lasS 
year sowed four grains of Mocha oeffee which 
he had procured from Poti, where it had failed 
to realise expectations. Two grains died, but the 
other two gave eight huudred berries. These 
eight hundred being planted out have produced 
seven hundred fioe healthy bushes, from which 
an excellent little crop is expected shortly, — 
Madras Times. 
Coffee Planting by, Malays. — Forty-one ap- 
plications for customary land were received in 
June by the Distriot Officer, Ulu Langat ; most 
of these profess to be for ooffee planting, Mr. Aid- 
worth however oonfesses that he has but little 
faith in coffee planted by Malaya. The Malay 
coffee gardens at Klang are very poor compared 
to the Japinese-owned girden?, but the Malay 
gardens in Ulu Langat are still less oared for 
than those in Klang, Of ooursa there are a few 
noteworthy exceptions in wlrch Malays do their 
best to cultivate coffee, but these are few and far 
between, and are generally men who have a 
little capital, — Pinang Gazette. 
" Strong Position of Quinine " is the head- 
ing of an editorial in the latest New York Drug 
Reporter ; " not for many months has quinine 
occupied so strong a position as it dees at the 
present time ; the prioe in London is advanoing " 
— nevertheless, we read : — 
The stock of quinine in London must not be 
overlooked as a factor in the situation. It is large, 
but a good deal of it is said to be old, lacking in 
the water of crystallization, though suitable for 
making into pills. Some pill-makers, however, claim 
that they cannot use quinine when in this state as it 
will not work up well in their mass. Be that as it 
may, the mere fact that it is still in the old cases 
would deter many dealers here from purchasing it. 
So, holders of old quinine may find trouble in 
realiz ng : how about very old bark, such as haa 
been kept in a Cokrubo store for several years- 
does it deteriorate ? — The paper already quoted, 
shows that in Amsterdam, quinine has risen per 
unit from 3 95 (Dutoh cents) in January 1894 to 
4 50 in July.— With the soaroity of produoo to 
freight steamers, the prcEont should be a good 
time for gutting rid of any cinchona bark stocks 
iu Colombo if the price is likely to improve further 
in Europe, 
