May 1,1899.] Supj^lemcni io ihe " Tropical Agriculturist." 
813 
In the French Colony of Guadeloupe wbere anatto 
(cnlled by the French "roucou") is extensively 
culiivated, a diii'erent mode of preparation is 
ndepted. The seeds are ih^ronghly crushed 
ber ween roller* so th:it they come out as fine powder 
iiij:imMrely mixed with the dye. The product is 
then put into water, and when it has suli^ided to the 
bottom, tlie surface water is run olf, ar.d the paste is 
boiled for four or five hours. It is afterwards put 
into boxes pierced at tlie bottom with holes that 
are covered with a cloth so as to prevent the j)aste 
running through. A board is placed on the top of 
the paste, and weighted down so as to press out the 
excess of moisture through the bottom holes. The 
jiaste is then packed in cakes in layers separated 
by banana leaves, and this is done so as to retnin 
moisture and to prevent fermentation. If the 
paste be too dry water is sometimes poured into the 
cask, for unless the anatto be kept moist it will 
deieiiorate in value. The product, of course, con- 
tains nly a proportion of the dye mixed witli the 
j)Owdered seeds, and it is, therefore, not nearly so 
\alual)le as the pure cake anatto. The finer the 
dye is .^ent to the markets the higher will be the 
prices obtained for it ; and, unle:^s a fine article he 
prepared, it is lietter to ship the dried seeds from 
which the dye is extracted in England and the 
United States. 
[l'"or the above interesting description we are 
indebted to Dr. Nicholls. 
We wonld point out an apparent contradiction 
in the above account, for while we read in one 
place that arnrtto cakes should be ilioroughly dry 
to prevent them losing their value by becoming 
mouldy, in aimther place we are told that unless 
the anatto be kept moist it will deteriorate in 
value. 
In Ceylon anatto cultivation has been practically 
abandoned, but I he name which is always associated 
with the product is that of Mr. A. Van Starrex of 
Crystal Hill, Matale. 'Mr. Van Starrex is no d<uibt 
quire familiar with the different proce-ses of pre- 
par.ition rtfeired to above, and we believe he has 
worked out a new one for himself, which to judge 
from his persistency in anatto manufacture and 
his excellent exhibits at the last Fruit and Flower 
Show in Coloml)ois doubtlessasremunerative as it is 
successful. We understand that his morlus operandi 
is not so simi)le as either of the metii ids above 
dtt ciibed, and involves many mechanical and 
chemical details, with the re-nlt that a highly 
finished article is produced. We have seen no 
account of Mr. Van Starrex's system of aiuitto ex- 
traction and preparation for tlieraarlcnt, and if it is 
no secret we shall be most pleased to have a des- 
cription of it — in continuation of the above notes — 
for publication in tlie=e jjages. 
According to Dr. Xicholls ten pounds of seed 
will give at least a pound of tiie cake. 
Tlie dye is u>ed for colouring butter and chee=e, 
and also for dyeing Ciilico, silk, wool, skin, feathers, 
ivory, boin; ami the like. It jiroduces a fast colour 
of a fine tint, and it is sometimes us'^d to give a 
deeper shade to simple yellow dyes. A red a's well 
as a yellow dye can be obtained from it. AVeread 
in the .lanuarj- number of tiie Queenslaiul 
JotiriKil tliat Aniline is being used in biitter- 
colDuring — a prnclico which is of course most 
object ionalile and has been strongly condemned by 
Cht'inists, 
The following method of detecting the presence 
of aniline has been published as a warning against 
the practice : — 
" Pour a few drops of the butter-colour upon a 
■wliite china plate and over-pour the-e with a few 
drops of pure concentrated sulphuric acid. If 
the butter colour is vegetable c.'lour (orlean or 
orlean seed) there appears a dark bluish-green 
colour, which gradually goes over the greenish 
yellow. If it contains aniline eller tar cc-lour 
there will appear a red margin or red spots which 
gradually spread themselves over the whole. — 
Ed. A.m.] 
THE FORTHCOMING AGRI-IIORTICULTURAL 
SOCIETY'S EXHIBITION. 
The Catalogue of this Exhibition, fixed to tak« 
place in Colombo on the 21st and 22nd July nest, 
is now out. A glance shows that the 
Exhibition is to be on a much more ambitious 
scale than the successful Fruit and Flower Show 
held in June last year, but that is no reason why it 
should not bo quite as successful. The Chairman 
(the Hon. Mr. F. R. Ellis, Government Agent, 
Western Province) is taking the greatest interest in 
the movement, and this is sufficient guarantee that 
no pains will be spared to make the Exhibition a 
success. 
The following are the sections and classes as 
given in the Catalogue: Section I. Class A. 
Flowering Plants in pots. Class B. Cut Flowers 
in boxes, stands or glasses. Class C. Foliage Plants 
in pots. Class D. Ferns in pots Section 11. 
Class A. Fruits. Class B. Vegetables. Class C. 
Vegetable Products. Section III. Food Products. 
Section IV. Class A. Cuttle. Class B. Poultry Sec. 
Class V. Dairy Produce. Section VI. Arts and 
Manufactures. We give below the items of Agri- 
cultural interest for which prizes are offered: 
Best Jaffna Mangoes (twelve) ...Silver Medal 
Best collection of Matgoes (six of each 
variety) ... ... ... do. 
Best Oranges (twelve) ... ... do. 
Best Mandarin Oranges (twelve) ... do. 
Best Lemons (ivvelve) ... ... do 
Best Citrons (six) ... ... do. 
Best Limes (twelve) ... . do. 
Best Pnmelos (six) ... ... do. 
Best Mauritius Pineapples (three) ... do. 
Best West Indian Pineapples (three) .. «o. 
Best Custard Apples (six) .. ... do. 
Best ^Nl-ingosteens (twelve) ... do. 
Best Papaws (three) ... ... do. 
Best bunch eating Clantains ... do. 
Best bunch cooking Plantains ... <lo. 
Bes; bunch of Giai'es ... ... do. 
Best Clierimoyas (six) ... ... Jo. 
Best English Fruits grown in Ceylon uo. 
Best Sapodillas (si.\) ... ... Jo. 
Best collection of Janibii (t velve of eich 
variety) ... ... ... ,lo. 
Be.st Nani-Nams (twelve) ... ... do. 
Best colleciion of the following : — 
(J una, Uguressa, Lo\ i-Lovi, 
Masaii, Nelli (twenty liveofeacli) do. 
Best Rambutans (liniidred) ... do. 
Best collection of ini|iorted Fruit ... do. 
Special Prize for the i)est collection of 
Ceylon grown Finit not more or 
1qs3 tliau twelve kinds . . .. CJold Medftj 
