^ULY 1, 1903.] tnt TtlOPlCAL ACtRICULTUBIST. 
13 
be wanting in point, or be too soft. Cold fevmen- 
tavion, with the fciiinperatuve as low as 56'^, has been 
carried out in Ceylon for soms time, with the result 
taat the fermentiiig leaf obtaiued a good colour, and 
the liquors retained their pangeucy, But ii is hardly 
Bafe yet to say what is the best temperatare. 
i-^saEMTAIION WITH ANTI5EPTIC3. 
What abont the use of antiseptics, Mp. Bimbet ? 
H-tve yoti ma'ie any experiments ? 
Yts. I have personally obtaiued exceptionally 
bright colours by oxidising the rolled leaf in an 
atmosphere of chloroform, which entirely prevented 
bacterial action and it was possible to keep the leaf 
for some days wiihont its undergoing putrefaction, 
la Mr. Mann's experiment he apparently left the 
unrolled leaf in contact with chloroform vapour when 
he found that the ferment waa destroyed. 
THE UiE OF SALICYLIC ACID NOT ADVISABLE. 
Do you recommend the nae of salicylic acid for 
cleansing ? 
As rtgarda the use of salicylic acid Mr. Mann 
recommends that it should be dusted on the ieaf im- 
mediately after rolUng. Now although the tea manu- 
factured by it was reported on as superior to that 
mannfactured in the ordinary way, I do not like to 
advise its employment. It is largely used as a pre- 
servative both for foods and drink snoh as beer and 
wine ; but it is not recommended in a greater pro- 
poriion than one grain per pint in liquids, and one 
grain per lb. in solid food, and its preseuce in all 
cases has to be declared. 
Mr. Mann states that it would be entirely removed 
when the tea has been fiied ? 
Yes. But nnle-3 a high temperature was employed 
I think this is rather doubtful, as although with steam 
it would volatilise at a lower temperature, its own 
volatilising point is about 200 degrees Cent, or twice 
the temperature of boiling water — a temperature to 
which tea never attains. But even should it entirely 
volatilise 1 don't think it is wise to give the imprtssion 
that antiseptics are used in the m.inuf icture of tea. 
There are, besides, two kinds of salicylic acid — one 
derived fr^m certamplauts a.id one manufactured ar- 
tifically from sodium phennte ia a current of carbonic 
acid gas. Although the latter form is chemically 
identical with the natural salicylic acid, baoterially 
as well as physiologically they are quite distinct. 
Is the cost the same ? 
The cost of natural salicylic acid is Is. 6d. an ounce 
The artificial costs 3d. an ounce. Tne permanganate 
of potash that I have recommended for cloths, etc., 
costs about lOd. a lb., or less. 
Mr. Bamber indicated that he did not think there 
was anything more to say. Mr. Mann's paper made 
some excellent suggestions some of which might pos- 
sibly be investigated here with regard to their appli- 
cability in Ceylon. — " Times of Ceylon." 
PERPUMS-PLANTS.* 
The most profitable articles to export for long 
distances, such as from India to Enjyland, are those 
which contain much value in little space ; peif ames 
for instance. j 
The orange flower is the one most certain to be 
profitable. Oiange-flower-water is only produced, at 
Nice, Cannes, Giasse, &c., to the extent of 465,000 
litres (one litre=lf pints) ; whereas the exportation 
of that article amounts to more than 1,000,000 litres, 
not including the amount used in France. Over 
500,000 litres have thus to be concocted from leaves, 
and the result is a very inferior product neither 
Abridged (and adapted to India) from Dr. E. 
3eckel in " the revue dea Cultures Coloniales,"^ by 
F. Gleadow, I.P.8. The perfume industry is easy 
to vjork, requires litUe machinery, emd aeetaa likely 
to repay enterpriee, 
dfsired by the consumer nor fit for the uses made 
of it. P.aris alone imports 5 million frauca worth 
of scented oils, fats, and essences. All France not 
improb'ibly imports 12 millions worth. 
Ic will be as well here to explain what Jjind of 
substances these are, and to note a few of the plants 
most useful for the purpose. (Mostly those found 
ia India as well as in ISew Caledonia are here in- 
clnded). 
There are several ways of extracting perfume from 
flowers; for instance, the pneumatic method, the 
ether method, the sulphide of carbon method, (fee. 
These methods require special machineiy, and are 
suitable for tegular manufacturers. Those who wish 
to work them are referred to special works on the 
subject. There are three other methods which are 
capable of profitable use, namely, ' eii^ieurage' (cold 
absorntion), warm maceration, and distillation. 
EnAeurage. — Formerly, oil of Beu* waa considered 
the oil par excellence ior perfumery, because of its 
great affinity for volatile perfumea, and e»pecii»ily 
because it does not soon become rancid. It has 
now almost disappeared from the Fiench marKet, 
because of its high price and the heavy duties payable 
on its importation. It is replaced by flue oil ve oil; 
but, if obtainable, its use assures a real superiority 
and consequent greater profit. It would be easy in 
this country to extract the oil by means of a simple 
form of oil-press, the seeds being collected from 
the nearest trees. [The commouesc native name ia 
'soanjra ' (horse-radish tree), the long pods when 
green are cooked and eaten, the flowers and roots 
also. — Transl.} 
The process is quite easy. Pieces of flinnel or 
coarse cotton cloth are soaked in the oil and spread 
on frames of wire. These frames with clo h are 
piled one on another with a layer of flowers bet.veea 
each. So they remain for 50 or 60 hours till the 
flowers have lost all their perfume. Fresh flowers 
are then substituted until tue cloth has acquired a 
strong odour. The oil is then extracted from the 
cloths by heavy pressure. The frames may even be 
dispensed with, the layers of cloth and flowers being 
simply piled one on another. 
Warm maceration.— Tbia process is almost as simple, 
and anyone can work it at small cost. Take a few 
pounds of lard or other animal fat, melc it in boilng 
water in a very clean vessel, Let it cool so that 
all impurities fall to the bottom of the water. The 
grease will solidify in a cake on top. Take it 
carefully out, and if it retains the slightest smell 
repeat the operation with fresh water and a pinch 
of salt or alum. When a perfectly odorless cake is 
obtained, drain it well and melt U over a sandbath, 
or in a vessel surrounded by hot water. Raise the 
heat and continue till all water contained in the 
grease has evaporated. The same result may 
be obtaiued by throughly working the grease like 
butter and removing the drops of water that are 
squeezed out. The grease must then be brought 
to a heat just sulflcient to keep it fluid. As many 
flowers as it will hold are then put in, and the 
whole is kept at this temperature for 24 hours. At 
the end of this time renew the flowers and repeat 
the operation for about a week. A grease is finally 
obtained worth 8 to 10 francs a kilogramme f'say 
3 or 4 shillings a pound.) The calculation of pro- 
fits is simple. At Cannes and Grasae the flowera 
of "Cassie" {Acacia Fa,rnesiana) for iastance, cost 
6 to 7 franca the kilogramme. A kilogramme of 
grease requires 2 kilogrammes of flowera. Labour 
included, a kilogramme of scented grease ia thaa 
worth at least 10 franca in the market. When a 
sufficient' quantity has been prepared it ia carefuUf^ 
• Thla is stated to be Moringa pteri/goiperma, 
whoso " nuts " (? seeds) yield about 25 per cent, 
of their weight of an excellent oil able to absorb 
from flowera certain perfumes -which are deatroyeii 
by heat, 
