468 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Jan. 1, 1901 
"the chemical required— that the pro- 
duction of gas is continuously going on. A 
tube on one side connects with a safety 
valve through which the gas, if over-pro- 
duced, is allowed to escape. The chamber 
containing the gas in the centre of the 
generator rises automatically with the gas 
jiroduced. On the other side from the safety 
valve, is a tube connectitig with the inner 
chamber, thi'ough which the gas is borne off 
for consumption. 
The whole generatesr weighs a very few 
pounds and can be conveyed about the 
estate by any ordinary cooly. The destruc- 
tive apparatus itself consists of a tin basin 
soldered on to tiie end of an alavanga, a 
burner passing up through the basin-centre, 
attached to the end of a tube— which for a few 
inches passesdown alongthealavangaand then 
connects with a rubber tube leading from 
the generator. The basin contains water 
and a little kerosine oil on the top. When 
the burner is lit, aflame of pbout 50-candle 
power is produced, and though we were not 
able to see the apparatus working last night, 
a wet evening havine been threatened, we 
were told by Mr. Creasy that flies and 
insects of various sorts have already proved 
their affection for the powerful light emitted 
by the acetylene flame, and fallen in quanities 
into the kerosine oil in the basin round it. 
This successful result is most noticeable on 
the darkest nights. The apparatus is ex- 
tremely simple and for plantei's who find 
their bungalows dull of an evening, few more 
interesting excursions could be made than 
with cooly, generator, basin, and acetylene 
flame— to collect and kill their vile enemies, 
tea blight and insect pests. 
■* 
CEYLON TEA AT ODESSA. 
Mr, Consul-General C. S. Smith, in his 
I'eport, states that the tea trade during the 
past year was very bad in South Russia on 
account of the universal scarcity of money 
and the bad harvest. " Ceylon and Indian 
teas are far stronger than Chinese tea, so 
that if consumers took to then use only 
half the quantity would be required. Though 
the consumer may not be aware of it, Indian 
and Ceylon teas are already largely used for 
mixing with China teas. It is likely that 
Indian and Ceylon teas will gr-adually make 
their way in the Russian market, but at 
present, as they are only required for mixing, 
only particular kinds find a market. Planters 
who wish to send tea to Russia would do 
well to employ a regular exporting house 
for the purpose, and no doubt would recog- 
nise that miiformity of quality is much to 
be desired." — L. C. Express, Nov. li. 
GAME PRESERVATION IN INDIA. 
PROPOSKD LEGISLATION. 
Calcutta, Dec. 4. — The Government of India 
has midei' consideration the question of taking 
Bte)m lo prevent Hie wanton destruction of game 
in India, find a llill for their protection, on the 
lined enunciated hy Sir Allan Arthur in his speech 
iu the cumse of the Budget Debate lasb y^fir 
will, in all probability, be brought forward during 
the ensuing session of the Legislative Couaci 
in Calcutta.— Mad?'a« Mail. 
— 
MR, CHAMBERLAIN ON COOLIE 
LABOUR. 
ADVICE TO WEST INDIAN PLANTERS. 
The West India Committee has received the 
following letter from the Colonial Ottice : — 
" I am directed by Mr. Secretary Chamberlain to 
acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th 
ultimo, on the subject of the payment by the 
planters of Trinidad of such portion of the cost of 
the repatriation of coohes is not payable by 
the immigrants themselves. I am to point out 
that such payments from the planters will only be 
demanded in respect of coolies introduced in the 
season 1902-3 and following seasons, and not from 
1898, as stated in your letter. With regard to your 
suggestion that the right of the ooolis to au 
assisted return passage should lapse if not exercised 
within two years of the completion of his period 
of industrial residence. I am to observe that such 
a limitation of the immigrants' rights could not be 
introduced without the consent of the Indian 
Goverment. Mr. Chamberlain proposes shortly to 
approach the Indian Government on the subject 
in connection with a similar proposal emanating 
from the Government of Jamaica, but in the 
meantime he would be glad if the West India 
Committee would consider whether the effect of 
the change you propose might not be that nearly 
all the coolies would elect to return on the com- 
pletion of ten years' residence, instead of as at 
present remaining, some for many years, and some 
for ever; so that the result would be to substitute 
for a prospective and contingent liability an imme- 
diate charge of almost equal amount. — I am, drc, 
— Daily Chronicle, Nov, 12. "Bebteam Cox." 
"THE TEA SOILS FOR ASSAM." 
We have carefully perused the excellent little 
work on " The Tea Soils of Assam " by Mr. H. 
H. Mann, B.s.c, received lately from the 
Secretary, Indian Tea Association, but do 
not propose to enter into an extended review 
of it— a task which only an expert in the 
subject would be capable of usefully perform 
ing. Mr. Mann, in his introduction, wisely 
points out that though the essential im- 
portance of suitable soil for tea is pretty 
generally known, he has noticed (in Assam, 
in three years) numbers of pieces of tea put 
out without reference to the character of 
the subsoil, afterwards proved unsuitable 
He is of opinion that Assam gardens do 
deteriorate, with age, and therefore require 
culture. He was surprised to note the care- 
lessness with which cattle manure (avail- 
able at 1,000 lb. per annum per head 
of stock) is preserved for use. Mr. Mann 
deprecates the Assam system of constant 
extensions and abandonments, and maintains 
that extensions are inexcusable unless the 
tea already in existence is producing its 
maximum of best quality tea, Mr. Mann's 
usefully summary regarding Assam we 
quoted when acknowfedging his book ; he 
points out the high importance of the in- 
dependent results arrived at by Mr. Bamber, 
regarding tea soil and the relation of soil 
to quality, but regards them altogether as 
forming " a most inadequate commencement 
to the study of the most difficult parts of the 
tea culture." The first, third au«3 lowth cfe^'f" 
