532 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [Feb. 1, 1^04. 
per cent, the remaining 5 per cent being oil 
mechanically carried over. The liquid at once 
yielded a large quantity of iodoform when treated 
in the usual manner, and boiled practically con- 
stantly at 80°. It was, therefore, clearly alcohol 
mixed with some water, as probably a strong spirit 
had been used for the adulteration. 
Full particulars of the test for adulterated citro- 
nella oil, devised by Mr Kelway Bamber, agricul- 
tural chemist to the Government of Oeylon, 
have been forwarded to us, and we hope 
to make experiments with it in the course 
of the next few weeks. It is obvious that 
the adulterant above described— viz., alcohol — 
would not be detected by this test, and it may be 
found that substances like resin-spirit or Russian 
petroleum could not be detected in small quantities, 
since these bodies are freely soluble. It is, at all 
events, highly improbable that a quantitative 
determination can be made in citroaella oil and in 
mixtures of citronella oil and alcohol of the 
specified strength. The test depends on the solubi- 
lity of the adulterant in the fixed oil being greater 
than its solubility in the mixture of citronella oil 
and alcohol of specified strength. We are glad that 
steps are being taken to ensure the purity of this 
oil, and hope that the supply of citronella oil in 
future will be above suspicion. — Chemist <fc Drug- 
gist, December 26. 
THE CUP THAT CHEEES. • 
PUBLIC TEA TASTE RUINED. 
Tea experts in Mincing-lane were greatly amused 
yesterday over the troubles of the amateur tea- 
tasters in the 8outhwark County Court, who, 
after a tasting experiment, chose as the best tea 
the one they had previously been complaining of. 
" But it was nothing to wonder at," said one of 
the experts to a representative of the " Daily 
News," when asked to explain the mysteries of 
tea tasting and fashions in tea ; " for the general 
public has absolutely no tea-taste left now. Their 
taste for tea has been ruined. What an expert 
would consider a fine sample of delicious tea, and 
pay a high price for, the public would consider 
worthless stuflf, and refuse it at any price. What 
the majority of people like nowadays is a tea so 
strong that the spoon will almost stand upright 
in it. They think that is good because they can 
get plenty of colour and use a lot of water the 
second time. It is colour, strength, and a taste 
that is rough on the tongue, something which will 
wash out a morning throat, that is the tea that is 
sought for now : flavour does not count. 
" This change is due to gradual cutting of prices 
having caused coarse Ceylon tea to be resorted to. 
Bluff with plenty of tannin in it. The result is 
that, instead of having the cup that cheers, the 
great bulk of people have a depressing, unhealthy, 
indigestion-causing cup, which has no aroma and 
no taste, except a nasiy one which has to be 
drowned in milk and disguised with sugar. 
" Professional tasters do not often taste that 
class of tea. They never swallow it if they do 
take any. They judge by the aroma and the ap- 
pearance of the tea in the cup, It is quite an art. 
In making, the water is never allowed to boil either 
long or a second time : the moment it boils, the 
kettle is taken off the gas and the tea is made. 
After brewing for seven minutes, the tea is poured 
out into cupa, and stands until cold. Ceylon and 
India teas when cold become somewhat sjrupy, 
and cloud over just as though milk had been 
poured in. China tea never clouds. * 
" After standing for an hour or so, a ring forms 
on the inside of the cup where the top of the tea 
touches : that is the tannin, and is never seen in 
China and rarely in Darjeeling tea. From these 
signs and the colour the taster tells whether the 
tea will suit his market. Blending, or the mixing 
of different teas, has to be resorted to in order 
to produce a tea without variation of quality from 
week to week. Often in blend- tasting milk has 
to be used, because some teas refuse to mix kindly 
with milk, and in that case another sort must 
be added to obviate that. 
"In the West-end now, China tea is again be- 
ginning to be largely drunk. It promises, in fact, 
to become again the fashion, and some fair hostes- 
ses, especially American ladies, are serving it in 
glass cups, without milk, so that its pale amber 
colour may be admired."— X>aiZy News, Dec. 12, 
THE CULTIVAnON OF RAMIE OR 
RHEA. 
[to the editor of the " BOMBAY GAZETTE."] 
Sir, — I promised in my last letter to say, in conclu- 
sion, a few words about the decorticating and degam- 
ming of tamie or rhea. This is indeed the crnx of the 
whole matter. As long ago as in 1869 and 1877, the 
Indian Government felt so strongly the importance of 
encouraging the cnltivation of ramie in India, that they 
offered large money prizes for the beat method or 
machinery for treating the fibre j but though competi- 
tive trials were held in Saharanpur in 1872, no 
machine was found satisfactory, and no practical good 
resulted. Indeed these early efforts failed for the 
simple reason that the Government began at the 
wrong end. Before the planters were encouraged to 
grow ramie, the mechanicians were stimulated to 
invent machines to decorticate. When about six years 
ago the ramie boom occurred, there were machines in 
plenty, more or less successful, but there was no crop 
to operate on I Hence this pyramid of speculation, 
built upon its apex, toppled over. The losses are 
spoken of in Loudon as having been immense and 
ramie has ever since literally ' stank in the nostrils ' of 
manufacturers and brokers. Those who are now 
anxious to see ramie or rhea, take its proper 
place as one of the great staples of the textile 
world are endeavouring to organise supply of the raw 
material, so that an important indnstry may be 
built up on the basis of an agricultural crop which 
can be depended; upon. The large number of letters 
which have been received by myself and the Bnnbeg 
Mills (17, Southampton Eow, London W C) in response 
to my first letter, show that planters in India are not 
unwilling to try ramie, or even to devote extensive 
areas to its cultivation, provided that a steady market 
could be found for the "ribands "or " China grass." 
Xhia brings me back to the subject of decorticating and 
deCorticators. Eamie has been grown for untold 
centuries in China, where it is used for cordage and 
fishing nets, and to weave into imitation silk fabrics. 
There it is always decorticated by hand, in the green 
state, and this hand-stripped ramie or " China grass," 
still fetches the highest market price. In this matter 
the Indian grower can imitate his Chinese neighboar. 
There is no occasion for the Indian planter to wait 
for costly machines, with which to decorticate his crop 
of rhea, for if it be hand-stripped like the Chinese, ha 
will find a market for it. The Bnnbeg Mills have 
kindly supplied me with samples of band-stripped 
ramie or rhea from China, from West Africa, and 
from the Argentines, and of machiue-deoorticated 
samples from India, and from the Malay Penineula. 
The former have the best appearance, and produce,! am 
assured, the best filasse. Hand-stripping can, how- 
ever only be carried on where labour is abundant and 
cheap ; in districts where this is not the caae a decor* 
