May 2, 1892.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
I 
801 ; 
ments to contribute Bomo portion, anA tha*), if that 
luiDimam sum were found, that the company woala 
take any further risk upon their own shoulders, giving 
the benefit of their otaff and orRanisiition free of 
charge. A draft plan of the detailed proposal, with 
a diagram ehowing the propospd Indian palace for 
ChicsRo, designed by Mr. Pardon Clarke, together with 
a form of guarantee, were unanimouely adopted by 
the meeting for distribution both among planters here, 
who had not already given their support to the Palais 
Company, and also among planters and others in 
India. A resolution was also passed urging the Calcutta 
Association to use its utmost endeavour to obtain the 
requisite funds, to eneure the work being carried out, 
and that promptly. 
The mutter is a most important one, and our readers 
will not be tardy in helping to open up this large and 
important market for Indian produce.— JJ. rtncZ C. Mail 
^ 
THE EICINUS, OR CASTOR-OIL 
PLANT. 
The Rioinns, like the Oroton, is named after an 
objectionable insect-, owing to the resemblance the 
seeds are supposed to bear thereto. The insect in this 
case is the cattle-tick, or as it was called in olden 
times, and probably is to this day in other countries, 
kiJc. The plant ia also known as Palma Christi, 
though the origin of this name does noi; seem very 
clear. I find equal diflSculty concerning the origin of 
the word castir, as applied to the well-known medi- 
cinal vegetable oil obtained from the plant, especially 
as this is the generic nnmc of the beaver, and cas- 
toreum or castorv is the name of the peculiar liquor 
found in the heaver's groin ; to say nothing about 
gemini, the fiery meteor occasionally observed on a 
ship's rigging. Owing to the name Castor-oil Plant, 
the seeds are also sometime? called Castor Beans. 
Strange as it may appear, Latin writers named the 
plant Cucurbita and Hedera. 
G( rarde gives some interesting particulars oonoerc- 
ing the misnaming of theplant, which he says, "Whereof 
mention is made in the fourth chapter of Jonas, and 
sixth verse." And he proceeds to say.— "Saint Augustine 
reoordoth in his Eptstle to St. Jerome where in ettVct 
he writeth thus:— That neme Kikaijon is of small 
moment, jot bo small a matter caused a great tumult 
in Africa. For on a time a certain Bishop having on 
occasion to interest of this, which is mentioned in the 
fourth chapter of Jonas (in a collation, or sermon, 
which he made in his cathedral), said that this plant 
was called Cucurbita, a Gourd, because it increased 
unto so great a quantity in so short a space' or else 
(saith he), it is called Hedera. Cpon the novelty and 
untruth of this his doctrine, the people were greatly 
offended, and thereof suddenly arose a tumult and 
hnrly-hurly ; so that the Bishop was inforced to go to 
the Jews, to ask their judgment as touching the nome 
of this plant. And when he had reeeived of them 
the true name, he made his open recantation, and con- 
fessed hia error, and was justly accused for a falsifier 
of the Holy Sriptures." 
Qerarde, moreover, considered the Ricinua jWas indi- 
genua in America, and goes so far as to name it 
Kicinus americanus, though it appears to be of Atrican 
and Indian origin. 
Before 1 leave this old author, I may add his advice 
concerning the value of the plant ai an antidote to 
sciatica, which so many gardeners suffer. He says, in 
effect : — " The broth of the meat supped up wherin 
the seed hath been foiden ia good for the gout, and for 
and against the pain in hips called sciatica. " 
lie^ertiiig to America, it is considered moles will 
not remain where Kicinus seeds aro sown. If this 
bo the case, to any practical extent, the fact may 
occasionally be turned to good account in gardens, 
when, as sometimes happens, these singular creatures 
periodicrlly visit newly-planted Celery in the trenches 
Onion, Carrot, and other smAll seeds when sown, 
amongat which they create great havoc, and with diffi- 
culty arc oanght, or kept away. The difficulty being 
greater during sird putioda in summer, when their 
luua are duep below the iurI»oe, aud trtppisg ia uest 
to impossible. It would be well to drop a few seeds 
into such injurious runs should they occur, and thua 
test the statement fully. 
Seeds are offered by all eeedsmen and at leaxon- 
able prices, and apart from such considerations as the 
above, they are so easily germinated and grown, as 
to be adapted for amateur culture, whether to grow 
on in pots, or for planting in open borders for summer 
decoration of a " tropical " kind. A pot, with seeda, 
placed inside a sunny window with a square of glass 
over it, quickly gives pleasing resulte, and they germi- 
nate upon a shelf in the greenhoufe, sown about 
April, — William Eaeley. — Gardeners' Chronicle. 
QUININE A8 A MEDICINE AND AS A 
PROPHYLACTIC. 
Messrs. C. F. Boehringer and Siihne write: — 
Waldhof bei Mannheim, Feb. 20th. 
Quinine.— Lecturing on the 'influenza ' at the Verein 
fiir innere Medizin in Berlin, Professor Gerhardt 
recommended quinine at the beginning of the ill- 
ness, it being easier digestible than the more recent 
antipyretics. His experience also shows that if 
with the cessation of the fever a plentiful expec- 
toration manifests itself, terpinhydrate may be taken 
to great advantage. 
Quinine as Prophylactic— Mr. Rhodes, the well- 
known Prime Minister of the Cape Colony, reports that 
during hia journey to Mashonaland he took plenty 
of quinine in order to resist the malaria fever. 
Thanks to this, he and his party got through the 
wilds without any of them being laid up with fever, 
and although they felt feverish, they succeeded in 
keeping it at bay. 
We already in Nov. 1889 called the attention 
of the public to the prophylactic properties of quinine, 
in a pamphlet giving the result of observations by 
Dr. Binz, Dr. Graeser, Dr. Buwalda, Dr.O. Schellingand 
Dr. Tachirch showing that quinine guards against, 
and effectually prevents, malaria fever, and that it 
it alone possesses such priceless efficacy. 
NOTES ON PRODUCE AND IINANCE. 
The Art of Adulteration. — Tea has an advantage 
over coffee and cocoa ia that it is sold pure, and net 
manipulated by the manufacturer. In the good old 
days John Chinaman was given to nefarious pursuits 
in regard to tea, but the Indian or Ceylon tea sold 
to the consumer is pure. It ia not so with coffee 
and cocoa, nor is it likely to be, so long as the law 
is so lax as regards adulteration. Occasionally the 
offenders are caught. For instance, at Lambeth 
Police-court a few days tinoe, a grocer was charged 
with selling cocoa containing 36 per cent of added 
sugar and 20 per cent of added starch. The sanitary 
inspector proved purchasing the cocoa at the defen- 
dant's ebop, and upon being subjected to analysis it 
was found to be adulterated to the extent maintained. 
The solicitor who appeared for the defence said his 
client bad no intention of acting fraudulently, and 
bad sold the cocoa in the same condition that he 
received it from the wholesale firm which supplied 
him. It was well known that there were many varie- 
ties of cocoa, and each of them had their own pecu- 
liarities, and the inspector must have known that 
pure cocoa could not be sold at 8d per lb. The grocer 
was fined, but no further reference w.is made to the 
manufacturer. 
Last Week's Sales. — Tbo market h»a been liberally 
supplied with Indian tea, sajs the ProdiKc JIarkets 
iieuKf, but the demand is inactive except .for (he 
better kinds. Common norts Save been offered in an 
inorcasing proportion, the bulk being of exceptionally 
poor quality, for which there is bat a moderate en- 
quiry. The result of this is a drooping tendency in 
the prices for all common tea, which can onlj be 
checked by an increasing demand although there are 
no indications of this at the predent moment. The 
better kinds, however, attract attention, and are 
I readily bought at firm rates; and judging from the 
I »ler »iiiy»la, the rtook u( tbe(« gr»(|«a is not likely 
