THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[June  i,  1893. 
*64 
a small  quantity  of  lampblack  is  then  stirred  in. 
The  mass  is  boiled  and  stirred  until  thoroughly  mixed. 
It  is  then  placed  in  flat  vessels  exposed  to  the  air  to 
congeal.  While  stiil  warm  the  blocks  formed  in  the 
flat  vessels  are  passed  between  rollers  to  mix  it  as 
closely  as  possible.  This  compound  was  asserted  by 
its  inventor  to  be  a perfect  substitute  for  cioutchouc. 
It  was  also  stated  that  it  could  be  vulcanized.  This 
was  found  to  be  an  error,  however.  The  compound 
upon  the  addition  of  from  15  to  25  per  cent  ot  pure 
rubber  may  be  vulcanized  and  used  as  a substitute 
for  vulcanized  rubber.  Compounds  of  coal  tar,  asphalt, 
&o.,  with  caoutchouc  have  been  frequently  tested,  hut 
they  can  only  be  used  for  very  inferior  goods.  The 
need  for  a substitute  for  guttapercha  is  even  more 
acute  than  for  artificial  indiarubber.  A compound 
used  in  its  stead  for  many  purposes  is  known  a3  French 
guttapercha.  This  possesses  nearly  all  the  properties 
of  guttapercha.  It  may  be  frequently  used  tor  the 
same  purposes  and  has  the  advantage  of  not  cracking 
wbxen  exposed  to  the  air.  Its  inventors  claim  that  it 
was  a perfect  substitute  for  indiarubber  and  gu  ta- 
percba,  fully  as  elastic  and  tough  and  not  susceptible 
to  injury  from  great  pressure  of  bLh  temperature. 
The  composition  ot  this  ambitious  subs  ance  is  as 
follows  : one  part  by  weight,  of  equal  parts  of  Wood, 
tar,  oil  and  coal  tar  oil,  or  of  the  latter  alone,  is  heated 
for  several  hours  at  a temperature  of  from  252  to  270 
deg.  Fah.,  with  two  parts,  by  weight,  ot  hemp  oil, 
until  the  mass  can  be  drawn  into  threads.  Then  one- 
half  part,  by  weight,  of  linseed  oil,  thickened  by 
boiling,  is  added.  To  each  100  parts  of  the  compound 
one-twentieth  to  one-tenth  part  ot  . zokeri  e and  the 
same  quantity  of  spermaceti  are  added.  Tbe  entire 
mixture  is  then  again  heated  to  252  deg.  Fab.,  and 
one-fifteenth  to  one-twelfth  part  of  sulphur  is  added. 
The  substance  thus  obtained  upon  cooling  is  worked 
up  in  a similar  manner  to  ^natural  iodiarubber.  It 
has  not  been  successfully  used,  however,  without  the 
addition  of  a quautity  of  pure  rubber  to  give  it  the 
requisite  elasticity.  A substitute  for  guttapercha  is 
obtained  by  boiling  the  bark  of  the  b rch  tree,  es- 
pecially the  outer  part,  in  water  over  an  open  tire. 
This  produces  a black  fluid  mass  which  quickly  be- 
comes solid  and  compact  upon  exposure  to  air. 
Each  guttapercha  and  indiarubber  factory  has  a 
formula  of  its  own  for  making  up  substances  as  nearly 
identical  with  the  natural  products  as  poss'ble,  whicn 
“ nSed  to  adulterate  the  rubber  and  guttapercha 
used  >n  the  factory.  No  one  has  as  yet,  however, 
suceeded  in  discovering  a perfect  substitute  for  either 
rubber  or  guttapercha. 
Isoprene,  from  which  Dr,  T.lden  produced  Inara- 
ubber  is  comparatively  a new  product,  as  derived 
from  oil  of  turpentine.  It  yet  remaps  to  be  seen 
T bother  rubber  can  be  synthetically  produced  cer- 
^-nly  and  cheaply.  The  result  of  further  experiments 
...  le  awaited  with  interest,  as  tbe  produc  ion  of  artt- 
1 rUbber  at  modeiate  cost  would  be  an  event  of 
euornftus  importance.— Off,  Paint  and  Drug  Reporter. 
Coffee-planting  is  being  pushed  on  the  West 
Coast  of  British  North  Borneo  by  Mr.  R.M.  Little, 
the  Resident,  and  by  Mr.  P.F.  Wise,  who  are 
distributing  Liberian  seeds  and  seedlings  among 
the  natives.  The  system  adopted  in  Java  ensures 
the  planting  by  each  man  of  at  least  fifty  cofft  e trees, 
the  produce  of  which  must  be  sold  to  the  Go- 
vernment at  a fixed  price. — Indian  Agriculturist , 
April  22. 
Penang. — A small  plantation  of  economics  at  the 
end  of  the  garden  includes  Camphor,  Nam-Nam,  a 
native  fruit ; Cola  Nut,  like  Cocoa, . from  New  5 
Chinese  Leeches,  Jack  and  Bread  Fruits.  This  has 
been  made  too  recently  for  any  results,  but  in  time 
the  experience  gained  in  this  garden  will  doubtless 
prove  useful  to  the  planters  in  the  island.  Opposite 
this  near  a Poinciana  regia  and  voung  Grevillea 
robusta  are  different  kinds  of  rubber  plants,  and 
some  Liberian  Coffee ; a curious  rubber  is  Landol- 
phia  Kirki,  a climber  from  Africa. — A Traveller's 
Notes,— Gardeners'  Chronicle. 
CEYLON  TEA  PLANTATION  COMPANY,  LTD. 
THE  PREMIER  CEYLON  COY. — TOTAL  DIVIDEND  FOR 
1892  EQUAL  TO  15  PER  CENT. 
We  are  very  pleased  to  learn  from  Mr.  Talbot, 
the  Ceylon  Manager  of  the  above  Company,  that 
he  has  received  a telegram  advising  that  the 
directors  have  declared  a final  dividend  of  8 per  cent 
making  the  total  for  the  past  year  equal  to  15  per  cent. 
As  a considerable  portion  of  tbe  development  of  the 
young  estates  has  been  charged  to  upkeep  during 
i892,  and  the  sum  of  £6,275  written 
off  for  depreciation,  as  well  as  £5,000 
added  to  the  Reserve  Fund,  (making  the 
latter  up  to  £25,000), — the  results  of  last 
year’s  working  may  be  looked  upon  as  very 
satisfactory.  We  heartily  congratulate  the  Direc- 
tors, Mr.  Talbot  and  the  local  Staff  generally,  on 
the  good  results  to  their  labours. 
A NEW  TEA  BREAKER. 
A patent  has  just  been  taken  out  in  the  names 
of  Mr.  Wm.  Cameron,  planter,  Ytbanside,  and  Mr. 
Jas.  Brown  of  Messrs.  Brown  & Co  , Hatton,  for  a 
new  tea  breaker  called  the  Equalizer  ” A model 
of  it  and  samples  of  tea  broken  by  it  have  been 
on  exhibition  at  the  premises  of  Messrs.  Brown 
& Co.  and  they  have  so  commended  themselves 
to  men  of  experience  in  tea  manufacture  that  quite 
a number  of  orders  has  already  been  placed  with 
the  firm.  The  "Equalizer”  differs  from  other 
breakers  in  this  respect  that  it  breaks  the  tea  longi- 
tudinally instead  of  across.  It  is  of  very  simple  oon- 
struotion  consisting  ohiefly  of  two  plates  with  fingers 
or  batons  which  come  together  and  crush  the  tea 
between  them,  the  pressure  being  regulated  by  an 
adjustible  weight.  The  novelty  of  course  consists 
of  the  action  of  the  two  plates  and  the  incisions 
on  the  face  of  them.  The  machine  can  be  worked 
either  by  hand  or  by  power  and  can  be  supplied 
with  or  without  sifters.  It  is  somewhat  like 
Sutor’s  roll  breaker  and  sifter  made  by  the  same 
firm,  and,  as  we  have  already  stated,  has 
caught  the  fancy  of  many.  The  principal  oredit 
for  the  invention  is  due  we  believe  to  Mr. 
Cameron  who  has  devoted  his  attention  for  a 
number  of  years  to  the  improvement  of  tea 
machinery,  and  we  cordially  congratulate  him 
upon  this  latest  development  of  his  inventive 
genius.  Tbe  manufacturers  are  also  to  be  com- 
plimented upon  the  manner  in  which  thoy  have 
carried  out  the  idea  of  the  inventor. 
TEA  CULTIVATION  AND  PROSPECTS 
IN  CEYLON. 
(By  a Planter  of  experience.) 
MR,  JOHN  HUGHES’  CONCLUSIONS  : QUALITY  V.  QUANTITY. 
HOW  “ ASSAM”  BEAT  ‘‘  CEYLON’’  IN  1892. 
ECONOMY  OF  LABOUR  AND  THE  NEW  PATENT  TEA 
PLUCKER3. 
I don’t  know  what  to  say  about  Hughes'  con- 
clusion. But  I do  know,  that  unless  in  very  small 
quantities  fine  teas  do  not  pay.  While  only  a 
few  estates  make  them,  their  eiand-out-pric  < may 
be  worth  getting.  But  some  cf  the  largo  p.  ck  t 
distributors  make  their  ‘ finest  tea  in  the  world’ 
out  of  very  oheap  material.  And  until  they 
raise  their  retail  price,  they  must  do  bo,  as  one 
way  or  another  profit  and  expenses,  they  mak«  41 
per  lb. 
