[Oct.  i,  1892. 
240  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
with  directors  and  proprietors  whose  ignorance  is  only 
equalled  by  their  assurance  the  question  ia  different. 
They  argue  that  the  size  or  abundance  of  their  cab- 
bages and  gooseberries  does  not  affect  their  excellence, 
and  why  then  should  it  their  tea-bushes.  It  is  for 
each  manager  to  ascertain  the  highest  quality  and 
the  greatest  quantity  that  his  estates  oan  produoe  and 
then  to  diaw  the  line  where  it  is  to  the  advantage 
and  profit  of  the  estate  for  the  one  to  give  way  to  the 
other.  Before  we  oouclude  these  remarks  we  may  ex- 
press our  regret  that  there  is  not  in  Southern  India 
some  public  tea-taster  who  is  able  to  pronounce,  au- 
thoritatively, on  the  quality  of  tea  and  to  offer  opinions 
regarding  the  manipulation  of  the  leaf.  Tea  cultiva- 
tion is  advancing  in  many  of  our  districts,  and  we  can- 
not but  think  that  if  such  a man  was  to  oome  forward, 
it  would  very  soon  be  found  to  the  ad  vantage  of  planters 
to  obtain  frequently  his  opinion. — Madras  Times,  Aug.  8. 
GENERAL  NOTES. 
An  Orange  Fad,  says  the  Horticultural 
Times,  is  among  the  possibilities  of  the  day.  Free 
consumption  of  the  fruit  is  said  to  be  good  for  the 
complexion,  and  many  ladies  are  testing  the  claim. 
The  value  of  the  orange  in  other  ways  has  long 
been  reoognisod.  It  is  reported  that  in  some  in- 
ebriate asylumB  oranges  have  proved  an  offioient 
substitute  for  alcohol,  patients  sacking  the  juioe  of 
them  abundantly  every  time  the  thirst  for  liquor 
comes  upon  them.  This  fact  is  so  well  reoognised 
that  at  many  temperanoe  coffee  stands  piles  of 
lusoious  oranges  are  always  on  show.  Generally 
speaking,  oranges  are  gathered  in  Spain  from 
October  to  Deoember,  and,  by  a strange  coincidence, 
it  is  found  that  the  trees  from  whioh  the  fruits 
are  pioked  green  bear  every  year,  whilst  those  upon 
which  the  fruit  is  allowed  to  ripen  produce  abundant 
crop  once  in  two  years  only. 
Japanese  Lacquered  Warh — One  of  the  most 
thirvmg  industries  in  Japan,  says  the  Indian  Agri- 
culturist, is  the  manufacture  of  laoquered  ware.  It 
has  existed  in  that  country  for  a long  time,  and, 
unlike  many  other  industries,  is  continuing  to  yield 
handsome  results.  The  reasons  for  this  state  of 
things  are  not  far  to  seek.  There  is  no  competition 
in  this  manufacture  in  Europe,  nor  in  any  other  part 
of  the  world,  for  the  lacquer  varnish  is  obtained 
only  in  Japan  from  a tree  peculiar  to  that  oountry, 
the  Rhus  Vernicifera,  In  Oeylon  and  in  seme  other 
plaoes  a variety  of  lacquered  ware  is  made  with 
the  lac  obtained  from  the  Groton  Lacciferum,  but 
do  not  in  the  least  approaoh  the  Japanese  artioles 
in  quality  or  appearanoe.  Hitherto  the  difficulty 
in  introducing  the  lacquered  ware  industry  to  other 
countries  has  been  solely  owing  to  the  want  of 
the  lac-producing  tree,  but  now  it  is  stated  that 
Rhus  Vernicifera  plants  have  been  successfully  es- 
tablished in  some  German  botanical  gardens,  and 
there  is  every  prospeot  of  their  being  largely 
cultivated  in  that  country.  The  only  'question 
whioh  remains  is  whether  the  tree  grown  in  Germany 
or  elsewhere  would  produoe  the  same  quality  of 
lao  as  is  produced  in  its  native  oountry.  With 
a view  to  settling  this  point  experiments  have 
already  been  undertaken,  and  there  is  every  hope 
of  their  turning  out  successful.  It  would  not  be 
too  much  to  say  that  the  introduction  of  this  plant 
to  India  deserves  serious  consideration,  as  with  it 
a flourishing  minor  industry  would  undoubtedly 
oome  into  existente. 
Under  date  of  Foochow,  23rd  July,  we  have  re- 
oeived  the  following  advices  of  the  tea  market: — 
The  export  to  Europe  is  9,343,000  lb.  against 
8,936,000  lb.  at  the  same  date  last  year,  representing 
shipments  of  about  li  millions  during  the  fort- 
night, oarried  in  the  calling  steamers  “ Titan,” 
"Pembrokeshire,”  " Dardanus,”  "Glengyle”  and 
" Pakling."  By  the  end  of  the  month  the  export 
will  be  less  than  on  the  corresponding  date  last 
year.  The  market  has  been  quiet.  The  settlements 
are  reported  at  only  27,000  ohests  congou  against 
48.000  chests  the  previous  fortnight.  More  than 
half  of  the  purchases  have  been  for  Australia. 
The  tendency  of  prices  has  been  towards  eaemees — 
indeed  a deoiine  might  have  been  quoted  had  the 
quality  of  the  latest  settlements  been  fully  equal  to 
tbat  of  those  made  a fortnight  ago.  As  regards 
supplies,  the  expeoted  shortness  of  the  second  crop 
i3  likely  to  be  more  than  realised,  only  30,000 
ohests  having  as  yet  come  down.  The  teamen 
estimate  the  deficiency  at  25  to  30  per  cent,,  attri- 
butable ohiefly  to  excessive  raiDS  at  the  time  of 
piokiDg.  The  arrivals  of  Oongou  to  date  are  226,000 
chests  against  359,000  chests  at  the  same  date  last 
year,  and  317,000  ohests  in  1890.  The  settlements  of 
Congou  to  dato  are  176,000  ohests,  against  163,000 
chests  to  the  same  date  last  year.  The  atock  is 
50.000  ohests  against  96,000  ohests  on  the  same 
date  last  year.  Exchange  closes  firm  at  2/10i,  for 
4 months’ sight  oredits;  and  Freight  is  30s  per  ton 
of  40cubiofeet. — JV.-C.  Daily  Newt. 
Benid  Seeds  as  a Substitute  for  Coffee. 
— In  ao  article  on  “The  Old  time  Sonthern 
Garden  ” in  Garden  and  Forest  occurs  the  fol- 
lollowing  passage,  the  okra  in  which  indicates  the 
plant  which  produces  the  bandekais  : — 
Tom«  toes  bad  come  to  be  generally  grown,  though  not 
relished  by  all  to  the  present  extent.  Egg-plants  I never 
saw,  nor  Okra  till  the  seed  was  needed  as  a substitute 
for  coffee  during  the  war.  Parohed  and  ground,  they 
formed  tbemo9t  popular  beverage  of  those  scant  times. 
The  Buitenzobg  Botanical  Gardens. — On  May 
18th  last  the  seventy-fifth  anniversary  of  the  found- 
ing of  the  Buiter>zorg  Botanical  Gardens  was 
oelebrated  with  considerable  festivity.  Dr.  Treub, 
the  director,  reviewed  the  history  of  the  gardens 
in  a loDg  epeeob,  which  has  since  been  published 
in  pamphlet  form.  An  interesting  feature  in  the 
festivities  was  the  presentation  to  the  Garden  of  a 
handsome  address  of  congratulation  and  appreciation 
signed  by  a number  of  the  principal  German 
scientists. — Chemist  and  Druggist. 
Protective  Influence  of  Tea. — The  follow- 
ing is  from  a home  paper: — The  attempt  to  revive 
the  thrashed-out  controversy  as  to  the  aotion  of 
Looh  Katrine  water  on  lead  pipes  recalls  the  me- 
morable discovery  of  Sir  Robert  Christison — that  a 
very  small  amount  of  peat  extraot  in  solution  pre- 
vents the  aotion  of  an  otherwise  pure  water  on 
lead ; that  other  vegetable  solutions,  suoh  as  tea 
and  oalumba-extract,  have  the  same  effect ; and  that 
probably  all  vegetable  eolations  which  form  an 
insoluble  compound  of  oxide  of  lead  will  have  this 
protective  influence. 
Wild  Strawberries. — Mr.  Nock  writes  to 
us  : — “ With  reference  to  your  question  about  wild 
strawberries,  I may  state  that  the  same  Bpeoies,  Fra- 
garia  vesca,  that  grows  so  luxuriantly  and  fruits  so 
abundantly  in  Jamaica,  is  now  growing  wild  in  many 
places  in  the  Nuwara  Eliya  district.  If  the  soil  here 
was  as  good  as  it  is  in  the  Blue  Mountains  of 
Jamaica,  and  there  was  less  Nilu  ( Strobilanthes ), 
this  strawberry  would  soon  be  as  plentiful  in  the  hill 
districts  of  Ceylon  as  it  is  there.  When  I was 
Superintendent  of  the  Government  Cinchona  Plan- 
tation in  Jamaioa,  I have  given  as  many  as  20 
free  tickets  in  one  day  to  old  women  and  children 
to  gather  strawberries  among  the  Cinchona  Plan- 
tations. I have ' known  them  gathered  by  the 
bushel  and  oarried  22  miles  to  the  Kingston  market, 
where  they  always  commanded  a good  price. 
I may  state  here  that  I have,  this  year,  raised 
seedlings  of  six  of  the  best  English  varieties,  to  which 
1 intend  to  give  a fair  trial  in  this  lQoality,’’ 
