Jan. 1, 190i] TflE TKOPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 
477 
thease. This enzyme, when isolated, has 
mosi- if not all "the ahove chemical reac- 
tions, beside probably a few others which 
up to the present time I have not fully 
investigated. Its fnnction in the living- 
plant is probably in conjunction with some 
plant acid to act on' the tannin, which in 
this case is a glncoside, converting it into 
aldenydes and phenols which are absorbed 
in the nutriment of the plant. Isolated it 
converts tannic acid into glucose and during 
the fermentation or rather oxidation of the 
leaf it is the principal factor, as when ex- 
tracted the leaf does not colour; its quantity 
seems to vary, the better the tea the more 
enzyme. The enzyme is probably in the sap 
of the tea plant and not in the cells in con- 
tact with the tannin, as, if small pieces of 
leaf and young stems be soaked for some 
days in an alcoholic solution of acetate of 
copper, then thin micrometer sections cut 
from them, after some of the copper is pre- 
cipitated in the cells by the action of the 
tannin, and then the sections treated for one 
or two seconds with a weak solution of 
acetate of iron, and put under the micros- 
cope, it will be seen that almost every cell 
contains tannin ; if now some Tine. Guiac. 
and H2 O2 be gently run in under the cover 
glass, the outside cells first turn a brilliant 
blue, and small globules of blue also occur 
in other parts of the leaf, leading to the tihro- 
vascular bundles. The latter part of the ex- 
perin.ent is a very delicate one and the in- 
vestigator must expect many failures, the 
whole section generally turning an intense 
blue obscuring every thing. If now we take 
sections of the root we have the enzyme in 
very much larger quantities than in the young 
shoots, and this is the first time that it has 
been noted in this position. It is also present 
in the seed, and seems to exert an oxidising 
influence on the tea oil when expressed cold, 
as under certain conditions I have detected 
a decided aroma, but up to the present I have 
not been able to spare sufficient time to 
investigate it. I have found that a large 
number of plants of the most diverse orders, 
in fact the majority that I have experimented 
with, contain in some one or other of their 
organs an enzyme. If it cannot be found 
elsewhere it is generally present in the roots, 
and it is from this source that I propose 
to procure suitable ones to aid and intensify 
the action of the enzyme already existing 
in the tea leaf, and for this I have applied 
for a patent in India and Ceylon. In some 
teas the enzyme is often deficient in quantity 
for the full oxidising effect to take place in 
the leaf ; a proper enzyme added to the tea 
during the process of manufacture consider- 
ably improves the quality, and in all cases 
in which I have been able to try it there is 
an improvement in the tea. 
This is, I believe, the first time that it has 
been proposed to make any practical use of 
an extracted enzyme, hence a considerable 
amount of experimentis required. The subject 
is a vast one if successful ; it will have greater 
effect on the tobacco manui'.icture than on 
that of tea. In the tanning industry it shows 
how a large quantity of tannin can be lost 
through improper haj-vesting. Oak-bark, I have 
found, contams a considerable quantity of 
enzyme, .also canaigre and the otlier docks 
which IS capable of rapidlv converting tmnin 
into glucose: hence prol)ably some ot the 
tai ures to transport canaigre roots from 
India to Europe. 
t!- R- Newton, f.r.m.s. 
Kurseong, 24th Nov. 1901. 
TEA IN BRAZIL. 
BUT NO LABOUR TO PBODUCE IT. 
We learn tiiat a tea plantation of considerable 
extension exists near Ouro Pieto whicli niioht 
easily, it is elaiinert, produce 2,0u0 kilos of differenb 
quahties of tea if skilled labour could be obtaiued 
—Brazilian Revieiv, Oct. 29. 
— -«> 
TEA SPECIMENS WANTED AT 
BOUflDEAUX. 
AT A COLONIAL MUSEUM. 
We are requested by our Paris covrespondent 
to slate to our reader.-? that M. PitLm-d 
'' profe.sseui adjonnt a la i'aculie des Science.? de 
iJourdeau.N." at pre.^ent in chai-e of the Museum 
ot the useful vegetable products of the colonies 
would be greatly oblige.! for specimens of sh ->ot.s 
ot the tea plant with leaves, twigs wuii and 
without seed and H'nvers c- .'r-ylcte, <,'nt s-- 1, t;« 
nical specimen-s "wiiii ■ vM,iue " 'V\ 
that ma;:y planters 1- .riad to adv.i'ne^ 
cause of science by com.; .,ir|i tjj,^ 
The specimens should be ".vimoly pre^,e.^ , 
sheets of blottint; piiper a..,, packed betwe'.-, ,; 
board covers. -/rtc^iari. Gardening and Plaiuina 
Dee. 5. ^' 
CALCUTTA OPINION ON THE GREEN 
TEA FACTORY IN COLOMBO. 
THE METHOD APPROVED 
The news of Messrs Eiulay, Min'r and Go's 
Green lea Factory in Colombo, as announced in 
the Ceiilon Observer, foun.I its way to C■llnn^^L 
quickly enough by telegraph, ^ndladicm Gar- 
dc.nm, and Planting (Dec. 5th) has the folio wins 
reference to it ;— "vwufj 
We note from a telegram to a daily contemnm-orv 
that Messrs, F.nlay Muir and Co., afe co Sc S 
a Green iea Factory at (Jolombo, adjoini,," 
Stores, which 13 now rapiJlv approaohins camrJ..n-f.f 
The size is 200 feet by 40. The leaf pank Ty Kt ri 
upcountry will be finished off here. This is the III 
which we urged on the atieutioc of ludian ( .« ^ 
in our leader of 21st November ultimo ff our ereen 
teas are to have a good chance in America Vhi = 
method of working i.cl.ding all that is betfc ?„ th« 
Japanese system is most desirable. Therp i» oif 
solutely no bar to it as the leaf after the first rnnah 
rcatment will keep i„ prime condition for a 
time and If contributions from various gardens ar! 
finished cii in bulk we shall he able to oifer ho e 
large homogeneous breaks which American huvers 
prefer. Green manufacture on the factory woal i be 
so simplified by tne scheme that any manage with 
proper appliances to baud could work off surnli,« ll.f 
at a time when free flushh.ghad glutted the' f cMry 
and here the advantage ot a reduced amount of eaf 
to go throuf^h the e.aoorate processes of hlar-l,- + / 
manufacture would in nine cases out of ten reciU ;„ 
bett.r tea beiog turned out..at an enh:" J^j"^', °e ■ 
which, together with the revenue derived from ihi 
green, show an actual profit on the whole transaction 
We have indeed in green tea manufacture a means 
of obviating the losses sustained in excessive quan 
titles of black tea, and looked at from this point of 
