174 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Sept,  i,  1892. 
placed  at  his  disposal  by  Colonel  Cadell,  Dr.  Prain 
was  enabled  to  visit  and  investigate  th  e flora  of 
Narcondam,  Barren  Island,  Little  Andaman, 
Car-Nicobar,  and  Batti  Malv — all  these,  save 
Car-Nicobar,  being  places  never  before  botani- 
cally  investigated.  Mr.  E.  H.  Man  has  again 
most  kindly  superintended  the  collection  of 
specimens  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Port  Blair  by 
Burmese  convicts.  In  November  1891,  Dr.  Prain 
visited  Mount  Parasnath  and  made  a botanical  tour 
in  Chota  Nagpur,  while  in  March  1892  he  was  directed 
to  make  a botanical  tour  in  the  Khasia,  and  more 
particularly  the  Jaintea  Hills.  This  tour  was  in  con- 
nection with  the  botanical  survey  of  Assam  and  Burma, 
towards  which  the  Government  of  India  and  the  local 
Governments  of  Burma  and  Assam  give  annual 
grants.  In  connection  with  this  survey  also  Mr. 
Proudlock,  Curator  of  the  garden,  was  sent  in  February 
1892  on  a collecting  tour  to  Tenasserim.  Tavoy,  and 
Mergui.  In  Assam  two  native  collectors  were  at  work 
in  the  Naga  Hills  for  the  greater  part  of  the  year; 
latterly  they  collected  on  the  Lushai  frontier  ; the 
recent  troubles  in  this  region  have  unfortunately  as 
yet  prevented  Mr.  McCabe  from  taking  the  men 
into  the  interior  of  the  Lushai  country,  and  personally 
supervising  their  work,  as  he  has  most  kindly  volun- 
teered to  do.  From  Burma,  besides  the  Tenasserim 
and  Mergui  collections,  other  collections  have  been 
received  from  the  garden  collector,  Abdul  Hok,  who 
has  been  at  work  in  the  Shan  Hills  and  the  Ruby 
Mine  districts;  some  specimens  have  also  been  re- 
ceived from  frontier  stations  under  the  arrangement 
mentioned  in  last  year's  report  as  having  been  kindly 
made  by  Dr.  Leslie. 
Library. — Some  new  books  have  been  purchased  ; 
others  have  been  presented  to  the  Library ; a good 
number  of  old  ones  have  been  rebound.  Perhaps 
the  most  interesting  occurrence  in  connection  with 
the  Library  has  been  the  acquisition  of  a portrait  of 
Colonel  Robert  Kyd.  Learning  that  a portrait  of 
this  distinguished  soldier  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  Agri-Horticultural  Society,  the  Curator  of  the 
Herbarium,  with  Dr.  King’s  permission,  asked  the 
Society  to  be  allowed  to  have  it  copied  for  the  Library 
of  the  Royal  Botanic  Garden.  The  President  and 
Council  having  very  cordially  granted  this  request, 
a copy  of  the  original,  carefully  executed  in  the  Gov- 
ernment School  of  Art,  has  now  been  completed,  and 
a portrait  of  the  gentleman  who  in  June  1786  suggested 
to  the  Honourable  the  Board  of  Directors  “ the  pro- 
priety of  establishing  a Botanic  Garden,"  and  who 
performed  the  duties  of  Honorary  Superintendent 
here  from  August  1786,  when  the  undertaking  was 
commenced,  till  his  death  in  1793 — an  officer  described 
by  the  Honourable  the  Court  of  Directors  in  the 
letter  in  which,  in  1787,  they  sanctioned  the  action 
of  the  Honourable  Board  in  the  previous  year,  as 
one  “who,  by  the  attention  he  has  shown  to  a matter 
which  may  one  day  prove  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
his  constituents  and  to  his  country,  stands  most 
deservedly  high  in  our  esteem  and  favour,”— at  length 
hangs  in  the  museum  of  the  institution  with  which 
his  name  is  so  intimately  associated. 
THREE  WAYS  OF  COOKING  CUCUMBERS- 
The  possibilities  of  the  cucumber,  except  for 
pickling  or  salads,  are  little  understood.  It  is  ex- 
cellent soup,  says  an  exchange,  as  well  as  fried,  stewed, 
stuffed,  and  many  other  ways. 
Cucumber  Soup. — Cut  one  large  or  two  medium 
sized  cucumbers  into  thin  slices,  strew  salt  over 
them  and  place  between  two  plates  to  drain.  Put 
them  into  a saucepan,  with  a quart  and  half  a pint 
of  some  white  stock,  either  chicken  or  veal,  and 
simmer  gently,  without  reducing  the  quantity,  fox- 
forty  minutes.  Season  with  salt  and  a little  cayenne ; 
thicken  with  ground  rice  or  arrowroot,  wet  with 
milk,  and,  as  soon  as  it  has  boiled  up,  draw  to  the 
side  of  the  fire;  add  half  a pint  of  hot  milk  and 
the  beaten  yolks  of  two  eggs.  Serve  at  once.  The 
safest  way  to  add  eggs  to  any  hot  liquid  is  to  turn 
a little  of  the  latter  slowly  iixto  the  bowl  contain- 
ing the  yolks,  beating  the  while.  When  the  bowl 
is  full  turn  it  all  into  the  vessel  containing  the 
rest,  still  beating,  and  when  thoroughly  hot  pour 
into  the  tureen. 
Stuffed  Cucumbers. — There  are  several  ways  of 
preparing  these.  Peel  two  large  ones,  and  with  a 
sharp  knife  cut  out  a neat  piece  from  the  side. 
With  a small  teaspoon  remove  the  seeds,  and  fill 
with  nice  forcemeat  of  any  kind ; replace  the  piece, 
and  tie  securely  with  stout  white  thread.  Line  the 
bottom  of  a saucepan  with  thin  slices  of  bacon  and 
veal,  lay  on  the  cucumbers,  then  another  layer  of 
veal  and  bacon,  three  new  carrots,  scraped;  three 
small  onions  and  as  many  turnips;  cover  with  stock 
or  water,  and  simmer  until  all  are  tender.  Thicken 
the  gravy  and  pour  it  around  the  meat  and  vege- 
tables after  they  are  neatly  dished.  Season,  when 
about  half  done,  with  salt  and  pepper.  Another 
way  is  to  cut  them  in  halves,  take  out  the  seeds, 
and  fill  with  a forcemeat  made  of  equal  parts  of 
bread  crumbs  and  chopped  marrow,  well  seasoned 
with  salt  and  pepper.  Tie  the  halves  together,  lay- 
on  a baking  dish,  nearly  cover  with  meat  gravy, 
and  bake  until  tender.  A good  substitute  for  meat 
gravy  is  a brown  drawn  butter. 
Cucumbers  Stewed. — Peel  and  cut  into  quarters 
lengthwise,  dredge  with  flour,  season  and  fry  lightly 
in  hot  butter ; put  them  in  a saucepan,  with  some 
good  brown  gravy,  and  stew  slowly  until  tender. 
Add  the  least  trifle  of  sugar  and  a teaspoonful  of 
vinegar  to  the  sauce ; thicken  slightly  and  pour 
around  the  cucumbers.  Sometimes  an  equal  num- 
ber of  small  button  onions  are  stewed  with  the 
quarters  of  cucumbers. — Florida  Agriculturist. 
THE  BULKING  TOGETHER  OF  SMALL 
BREAKS  OF  CEYLON  TEA. 
The  receipt  of  the  following  letter  has,  we  con- 
fess, taken  ub  utterly  by  Buiprise.  So  far  as  we 
can  see  no  means  are  to  be  taken  to  consult  the 
wishes  of  the  owners  of  the  respective  small 
breaks  of  tea. 
Secretary,  Customs,  No.  14,918,— 1892. 
Custom  House,  London,  4th  July  1892. 
Gentlemen, — In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  14th 
of  May  last,  seeking  the  permission  of  the  Board 
of  Customs  for  the  bulking  together  in  Bond  of 
small  breaks  of  Ceylon  teas,  even  although  they 
may  have  arrived  by  different  ships  and  from  various 
gardens,  in  view  of  the  difficulties  under  existing 
Regulations  in  the  way  of  disposing  of  such  small 
breaks  at  their  proper  market  value. 
I am  directed  to  acquaint  you  that,  the  subject 
having  been  fully  considered,  arrangements  have 
now  been  made  by  which  your  wishes  in  this  matter 
will  be  met,  and  that  the  necessary  general  direc- 
tions will  shortly  be  issued  accordingly. — I am, 
gentlemen,  your  obedient  servant, 
R.  T.  Pbowse. 
Messrs.  Hancock,  Brothers  & Company,  28,  Min- 
cing Lane,  E.C. 
TRAVELS  IN  PERU  AND  THE  UPPER 
VALLEYS  OF  THE  AMAZON. 
By  Arthur  Sinclair, 
[The  first  part  of  Mr.  Sinclair’s  paper,  which  we 
quote  fromtlie  Victorian  Magazine  for  -June,  is  illus- 
trated by  a beautiful  scene  of  ferns,  palms  and 
other  tropical  vegetation,  efititled  “ Jamaica : a 
pretty  peep)  by  the  wayside.” — Ed.  T.A.\ 
There  are  three  .routes  available  from  Europe  to 
Peru,  the  most  direct — after  crossing  the  Atlantic — 
being  up  the  Amazon : the  most  comfortable,  by  the 
Straits  of  Magellan  ; and  the  quickest,  via  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama. 
To  save  time,  let  us  choose  the  last.  One  advan- 
tage of  this  route  is,  that  it  gives  us  a peep  in  passing, 
at  the  islands  of  Barbadoes  and  Jamaica,  the  two 
oldest  and  most  valuable  of  our  West  Indian  poss- 
essions. Barbadoes  is  only  166  square  miles  in  ex- 
