Oct. 1, 1899.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTUKIST. 
243 
zig-zag form, all tiie while being subjected to a 
current of air, \yhicli may be regulaied to any 
necessary pressure, by means of sliutters, to suit 
the nifiteiial lo be operated upon. The capacity 
of the machine is from 6001b to 1,000 lb per hour, 
according to the thickness of feed, and the 
quality of tea to be dealt with. The materials 
used in the construction of the machine are 
of the best possible description, the framing be- 
ing of tise best selected pitch pine, lined 
with sheet steel, and the machine body is 
mounted ( n four strong cast-iron '-tandards. The 
fan is powerful, and accurately balanced, and the 
bearings are fitted with special oil-catching de- 
vices. The discl)arge doors aie both moved by 
one bar and handle, and arranged so Dhat they 
may be shut, or kept partially open, while the 
machine is at work. 
Mr. Jackson has also constructed anew balanced 
Sr^LF-CLEA^'ING TEA SIFTING MACHINE 
with a view of giving every facility to the factory 
manager to i)roduce the best grades of tea required 
by the market. Its ad vantages may be summed up 
as follows: First. Balanced Action. Theieare 
two su|ierposed carriages containing the sieves, sup- 
ported, and held in their track by wooden springs, 
securely bound to angle foundation plaies at their 
lower end, and pivoted at the top. Motion is im- 
parted to the sieve carriages by a crank shaft with 
double throws, the crank pins being arranged 
opposite each other, thus producing a ])ertect 
balanced action, reducing the action of wear- 
ing parts to a minimum, and making heavy 
and costly founda'ions unnecessary. Second. 
Adjustable Incline of iSievcs.— The tv/o carriages 
are hinged at the end next the driving shaft, and 
the other end can be set level, or at any necessary 
incliiie, to suit the nature of t!ie tea to be 
operated upon. Keady means for attaining this 
object are jirovided by a clamp-device, which is 
free to revolve and accommodate itself to any 
angle at which it may be desired to set the 
sieve carriage. Third. Self-Cleaning.— It is 
generally known that to keep the wire meshes 
of sifting machines free from entangled leaves 
has been one of the nsost difficult problems for 
afiy designer of this class nf machinery to solve, 
and we believe that Mr. Jackson lias (jvercome 
this by introducing a cleaning device under- 
neath the sieves. The self-cleaner consists of 
numerous wooden splints attached to sliding rods, 
and pitched to suit the exact travel necessary to 
thoroughly free the wire meshes from curly 
tea leaf. The sliding rols are secured by 
clips, which can lie instantly released by the 
attendant, and all that is necessaiy to clean 
the sieves is to set them at liberty, and hold 
them by hand for a few seconds, and the 
movement of the machine will do the rest. 
When the cleaning airangement is not in 
use, its splints act as bearers to sup])ort the 
wire -mesh without in any way reducing the 
efficiency of the sieves. Fourth. Intercliange- 
able Sieves. — Two wire mesh frames and sieves 
are supplied with each machine, the numbers 
of mesh to suit option of purchasers, these are 
interchangeable, and can be instantly taken out 
to give place to frames with dift'erent sized meshes 
to suit various classes or methods of sifting. 
The crank shaft is bent from the bar, and 
mounted in a massive pedestal, with oil 
catching devices arranged in bearings, the 
shaft runs a hollow easting which is practi- 
cal! y dustproof ; but immediate a(C3?s can 
be liad to shaft for the purpose of lubrication or 
clearning when necessary, by simply lifting a lid. 
Being accurately bal.u.ced the power required is 
nomii.al. The d.ivi„g pulley is ten inches 
dianieter, by three inches wide, and the speed 
IS 265 1 evolutions per minute. 
The following report on ihe working of Jack- 
sons Paient Tea Packino- Machine, by a planter 
of long experience, has recently been received 
from Ceylon : " I am much [.leased with Jackson's 
JNo. I Facker. It is an excellent machine, works 
noiselessly, speedily and packs well. I should not 
like to ) evert to the coolie trading system of pack- 
ing again, afier using J:icks<.n's Packer." 
'J'he following is a copy of a letter received 
from one of the proprietors of the above estate ; 
" 1 am very glad to inform you that our first in- 
voice packed with your machine had not to be 
rebulked in London ; formei ly most of our grades 
in an invoice had to be re-bulked. This of itself re- 
presents a good saving in the twelve months."— JJ. 
and C. Mail, July 21. 
CEYLON CHAMBER OF MINES. 
The meeting which was held on Aug. 8 after- 
Doon was very largely attended and tlie proceed- 
ings lasted about an hour and a half. Mr. F. 
M. Mackwood, Chairman of the Chamber of Com- 
meice, occupied the chair. 
The following are the official minutes of the 
resolutions passed ; — 
1. To form a Chamber of Mines. 
2. That all gentlemen interested in i;>i'jin" be 
eligible as members. " 
3. Th.at nipmbership be divided into two 
classes, viz., full members and associated members. 
4. That entrance fees and subscription be as 
follows : full members - entiance K50, and annual 
subscription R50 ; associates—entrance RlO, and 
annualsubsciipiionKM). Associates to enjoy all the 
privileges of full members, except that of voting oa 
any resolutions brought before the Chamber. 
5. That all the members registering their names 
(j c, sending them to the Secretary^jiro feiu) hy 
3lst August .shall be original members, after which 
date all candidates for membership to be ballotted 
for by Committee. 
6. That a Provisional Committee to hold oflice 
forsix months be appointed consistingof the follow- 
ing gentlemen : Capt. Tregay, Messrs. Jacob De 
Mel, E C Skrine, Ptfljapaksa Mudaliyar, A S Ber- 
wick, J W C De SoysH, S P Jeffery, R Fieldin" 
J Clovis de Silva and N D P Silva.' Four to form 
aquoium, and that Mr. Geo. Armitage be ap- 
pointed Secretary pro (em and a member cic o^cto. 
7. That the Committee shall draw up rules 
and regulations for the working of the Chamber 
of Mines and report progress to a general ineetino- 
of members to be convened about the end of 
September. 
8. That minutes of the proceedings be .sent to 
the Hon'ble Ihe Colonial Secretary, Colombo, and 
through him to the Secretary of State for the 
Colonies, the Crown Agents for Ceylon, and to 
H.E. Sir West Ridgeway. 

Rubber from PERU.—Much indiarubber is 
brought from Peru to Para, in Brazil, forexport- 
ation. It is traced by M Hubert of the Para 
Museum, to a species of Castillo-i, possibly iden', 
tical with the Castilloa of Central Anu'riea -^ 
Globci August 4, 
