556 
THE TROPICAL AGRICUL'ITR [ ■> T. 
[Feb. •. 1895. 
much resembles teaplant ; wood brown, soft, clo*e- 
grained, sometimes used for fuel." 
There are several things I object to in the above 
article; firstly, the spelling of proper names with 
small initials ; secondly, the use of op instead of u ; 
thirdly, the omission of any mention of the discovery 
of the indigenous Teaplant in Assam; fourthly, that 
1000 seedlings suffice for an acre, w.iich would mean 
planting (j'j by Gj ft. whereas the Ceylon. Method l by 
6 ft. would require 3,G:i0 seedlings per acre : and fifthly 
that the fourth leaf yields bohea ! 
. The above has taken up so much space tli.it 1 
can only add this week the sensible definition that 
is given of Catamaran. (Kattumaram. Tom.) From 
Kattu, to bind and niaram, wood. Raft consisting 
of three logs of very light, buoyant Wood, such as 
the Erythrina indica (common coral tree;. Erroneously 
said to be made of the cocoanut tree, a wood which 
sinks at once in water. The length is from 20 — 25 
feet, and breadth 2J— 3j feet. The logs are secured 
together by three spreaders and cross-lashings through 
small holes; the centre log being much the largest 
with a curved surface at the fore-end, which trends 
and finishes upwards to a point. The side logs are 
similar inform, but smaller having their si Jes straight 
and fitted to the centre log. The cat unaran is 
generally navigated by two men. sometimes by one 
only. Catamarans are used mostly for deep sea- 
fishing. They also convey letters to and fro n the 
shore; the man who takes has leaf of the areca tree 
tied round his waist in which he encloses it." 
The grammar of the last sentence leaves poach 
to be desired, but the substance is good, and con- 
firms the impression Unit the catamaran is the exact 
counterpart of the Chinese Sampan (sam, three and 
pan, log.; M. Fkbgubon. 
INDIAN PATENTS. 
Calcutta, the 17th January, 1S'.).">. 
Applications in respect of the undermentioned in- 
vention have been filed, during the week ending 12th 
January 1S'.).">, under the provisions of Act V, of 1888, 
in the Office of the Secretary appointed under the 
Inventions and De-signs Act 1S88: — 
Coffee and other Grain-drying Apparatus. — No. If 
of 1895. — Augusto Ferreira Ramos, Civil Engineer, of 
San-Paulo, in the State of San-Paulo, Republic of 
Brazil, for Coffee and other grain-drying apparatus. 
— Indian Eni/ineei: 
ECHOES OF SCfENCE. 
A simple disinfector and deodoriser for household 
use has been brought out by Mr. Wilson under the 
name of the "Beehive Vapouriser," and has been 
recommended by several medical authorities. It is 
intended to shed the vapours of eucalyptus, terebene, 
and so on, m the air of a chamber or hospital, 
and consists of a holder containing water and the 
essential oil to be dissipated, which is heated by a 
kind of brick warmed first of all in the fire. The 
steam and vapour of the disinfectant escape to the 
air through holes in the case, and as there is no 
flame, there is no danger of fire, even in the night 
time. — Globe. 
A SYDNEY TEA-BROKER IN COLOMBO. 
Mr. H. M. Rowbothani, the well-known tea- 
broker of Sydney, who is at present on a visit 
to Colombo speaking to one of our representatives 
today with regard to the tea market in Aus- 
tralia said that t hina teas had for the last 
year or two been very good value, and sold 
at prices ranging from o^d to 7d, being really 
as good drinking tea as anybody could de- 
sire. If it lacked in anything compared with 
Ceylon tea, it was in strength, but tea of 
good quality and flavour, though lacking in 
strength was preferable to tea with an excess of 
strength for self-drinking purpo^s. China lea 
could be had in any <|U. unity ,u the pi i i-d 
mentioned, but of Ceylon tea, at the urgent 
moment, it was barely |*o**H)Ie u» obtain any at 
less than 7id. Notwithstanding the prejudice 
in favour of Ceylon, if China continued supply- 
ing tea at such good value, it was hound to 
get a very large proportion of their eastern in 
Australia. One thing in favour of Ceylon wa» 
that the trade were certain that boWlCM in 
Ceylon as well as India was in wife hand*, aim 
the same could not be said of China. Mr. Row- 
botham characterised the statement* that had Keen 
made about < 'hina tea being adulterated as ridiculous 
and he related an incident w hich occurred only la~t 
month in Sydney. A merchant there recently 
received a quantity of tea — broken i>tskoe -tioni 
an estate here. "We," said Mr. Row bol ham, 
•• a^ broken*, sold it to a linn of tea dealer*. On one 
occasion a .Member of our Parliament requested me 
as a particular favour to purchase for him n chest 
of the nicest Ceylon tea in the Market. It 
immediately occurred to me that I might 
send him a chest of broken pekoe and ac- 
cordingly I sent him a chest of the name. 
Some time after 1 received a letter Irom him in- 
forming we that the tea had made all the 
members of his family ill, and that he had a 
sample analysed by the (ioverninent analyst 
who reported that ' a large proportion wkh 
made up of leaves other than thone of the 
tea tree, and traces ot lead throughout." 
He, therefore, requested me to return to 
him the value of the chest, and take the tea 
back. I, of course, replied that it was all non- 
sense, as the tea came from a garden which I 
knew myself. I mentioned, too, that it would 
cost the owner more to put in stuff that wa> not 
tea, than to manufacture the real article, and 
that I could not take it back. On receipt 
of my letter, he got another analysis made, 
with the same result — much that was not 
really tea, and tracing of lead throughout ! 
The matter had proceeded thus far when I left. 
You can see for yourself," said Mr. Rowbothani, 
"if such has been the case with regard to 
Ceylon broken pekoe, how much more could 
be said about China. I consider the tea one 
of the best I have seen and still do so." He 
emphasised the fact most strongly that noth- 
ing could be said against the black and red 
leaf from China except that it is thin and 
poor in comparison to Ceylon ; — he was sure it 
could not be injurious. if Ceylon tea should 
deteriorate for the next two or three years it 
would be a bad look-out. At the present rate 
of prices he could see no chance of shippers 
getting satisfactory results from Australia, hut 
that is all the better for the growers here. 
Mr. Rowbothani is suffering from an attack 
of influenza which he had contracted on the 
voyage and for which he is now under tire 
treatment of Drs. Fairlie and Rockwood. He 
proceeds shortly with Mrs. Rowbothani to India 
on private business, and will call here again 
on his way to Australia. 
DEAFNESS. 
An essay describing a really 
genuine Cure for Deafness, 
Ringing in Ears, &c. , no matter how severe or long- 
standing, will be sent post free. — Artificial Ear- 
drums and similar appliances entirely superseded. 
Address THOMAS KEMPE, Victoria Cham- 
bers, 19, Southampton Buildings, Holbokn, 
London, 
