August i, 1890.] 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
119 
BAEKAND DRUG REPORT. 
(From the Chemist and Druggist.) 
London, June 19th. 
Cinchona. The fortnightly auctions were held on Tues- 
day, and consisted of a moderate assortment, the catalogues 
comprising the following quantities 
Packages Packages 
Ceylon bark 
1,4.55 of which 1,172 were S' 
East Indian bark 
524 
do 
435 
do 
Java bark 
46 
do 
45 
do 
South American bark 
(Calisaya) 
370 
do 
1.32 
do 
Total 
2,395 
do 
1,784 
do 
A fairly satisfactory tone prev iled throughout the 
auctions, and occasionally competitions become rather 
brisk, a great many lots being divided among two or 
more buyers, one firm cutting in as soon as another 
attempted to dr. p the price. The prices realised were 
rather irregular, but the average unit is placed just a 
trifle above that of the last Amsterdam sales, say at 
Ijdtolgdper lb. for fairly good b rk. The Ceylon barks 
offered did not include anything of pardoular interest, 
although there were several parcels of good Officinalis 
bark among the supply. From India there was a fair 
assortment, and seveial parcels of renewed red shavings 
and chips sold at unusually high rates. The South 
American barks consisted exclusively of Bolivian Calisaya 
quills, which are gradually becoming a feature of some 
importance at our auctions. It may be mentioned that 
the supply of root bark at the sales was comparatively 
heavy, the total weight of this description of bark being 
nearly 50,000 lb.— mostly Suooirubra from Ceylon. 
The following are the approximate quantities purchased 
by the principal buyers 
Lb. 
Agents for the French, Italian, and American works 110,588 
Agents for the Mannheim and Amsterdam works 106,089 
Agents for the Brunswick works ... 65,693 
Messrs Howards & Sons ... 56,373 
Agents for the Auerbach works ... 45,445 
Agents for the Frankfort o/M and Stuttgart works 23,651 
Mr. Thomas Whiffen ... ... 18,485 
Sundry druggists, &e.,. ... ... 37,245 
Total quantity sold ... ... 463,569 
Bought in or withdrawn ... ... 117,416 
Total weight of bark offered ... 580,935 
It should be well understood that the mere weight of 
bark purchased affords no guide whatever to the quinine 
yield represented by it, firms who by a sm 11 quaniity 
of bark by weight frequently taking the richest Jots 
and vice versa. An analysis of the catalogues gives the 
following prices for sound bark;— 
Quinine. — Lower. At the beginning of the week no 
business was reported, but yesterday and today about 
40,600 or 50,000 ounces; B. & s. and Brunswick have 
been sold by second-hand holders on the spot at Is IM 
per oz. ; that is the market quotation today. 
♦ 
TEA SCALE-INSECT. 
Mr. E. 0. Cotea wrote regarding the tea scale insects 
received from Kangra, that Mr. Atkinson identified 
them as of the family Coccidce and Genus Ceroplaster, 
probably a new species, and that they had been sent 
to Mr. Maskell tor examination and descriptions, if 
new. Mr. Cotes also asked tor further specimens, 
especially those showing the different stages. 
Mr. W. H. Miles sent the following note on the Tea 
Scale-insect which has been recently observed in the 
Kangra Valley. As coogenerous pests which have 
attacked the Orange and Coffee have done such 
serious damage, members observing this new enemy 
to tea are requested to communicate with the Society 
on the subject, and to collect specimens of the inteot 
in all its stages so that it may be identified, and 
more of its life history known: — 
Since 1868 when they first began to attract atten- 
tion,* the family of Scale-insects have made themselves 
notorious as one of the most dreaded and destructive 
of a 1 the known enemies of iilant life. First noticed 
in Australia, they travelled eii to Cape Colony, and 
finally appeareil in California, and as Sirou as they had 
established themselves in a new di-trici proceeded to 
spread in all directions. In Cape Colony and Oali- 
fornia the principal sulTerer was the Orange tree, 
* The ravages of black or brown bug on Coffee were 
notice 1 in Ceylon neaily thirty years ealier than 
1868, and were the subject of an elaborate rejiort in 
817 by the government botanist, Dr, Gardner.— Eu, T. A 
and so great was the damage done, that many owners 
of Orange groves were ruined. In Ceylon, the Scale- 
insect has done immense damage to the coffee-plant, 
and many plantations have been closed in consequence. 
In order to mark its coming of age, so to speak, 
it has turned its attention to tea, and already is 
has done no inconsiderable amount of damage to the 
bushes. It first appeared on two gardens in the 
Kangra Valley in. the early part of this year (1889) 
and has since been reported from Assam, but there is 
nothing to show the manner of its introduction in 
eitlier district. There is reference in Part 1, Vol. 1. 
Indian Insect Pests, to a new coccid found on Cin- 
chona in Sikkim which matures about April, and as 
the Scale-Insect was first observed on tea about that 
time, there may be some connectiun bei ween the two 
There is little to describe about the [actual in- 
sect, as it has not yet been observed in a free state. 
When a plant is attacked it soun becomes covered 
with little brown scales about one eighth of an inch 
in diameter, which adhere closely to the stem of the 
plant, but can be easily removed by inserting the 
blade of a penknife under them. Umier the mi- 
croscope the^e appear to be cases only, as there is no 
structure apparent, and in several I have detected a 
small puncture through which I imagine the imago 
escaped. The insect appears to be most active in 
bright weather and almo.st disappears in the rains. 
Some specimens lorwarded to me in November last 
were of quite a different character to those described 
above, the scale being soft and pulpy and covered no 
the outside by a thick coating of soft white waxy- 
looking substance. This may piove to be the female. 
Its effect on the tea-plant is somewhat similar to 
that caused by the tea-bug, but more marked, as 
the Scale-insect apipears to absorb the juices of the 
plant through the stem, and the bush immediately 
begins to sicken, and would soon die down unless prompt 
measures were taken. 
The most effective remedy is the kerosine emulsion 
which has been used with very good results in the 
United States and Ceylon, against the forms of Scale- 
insect attacking the Orange tree in the former and 
Coffee in the latter country. 
The formulae for preparing the Kerosine emulsion 
recommended by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, 
were reproduced in Vol. VII, Parts II and III of 
the Society’s Journal. 
I have already discovered a parasite of the Scale- 
insect which closely resembles Coccophagus californicus, 
fiigured in the Periodical Bulletin of the U. S, Department 
of Agriculture, division of Entomology, for March 
1889. Though it may take some time for it to de- 
velope properly in order to be an effective enemy of 
the Scale insect, it is satisfactory to know that it is 
in existence. 
This short note is merely intended to draw at- 
tention to a subject which may occupy a prominent 
position in the near future. Though not wishing to 
appear as an alarmist, I fear that tea is threatened 
with a new danger, which may do more harm than any 
of its predecessors, judging by what has happened in 
other parts of the world. I would seriously impress on 
all connected with this great industry, more especially 
managers of gardens, to be on the alert, and at the 
first indication of this pest, to adopt remedial measures 
at once to stamp it out, otherwise there is no telling 
what the consequences may be. — Proceedings of the 
Agricidtural Society of India. 
Cotton. — In the Northern and Western parts of 
Mysore a species of cotton plant grows known 
to the natives as the depathi mara or candle 
plant. The seed pod is about two to three 
inches in length and divides in three sections 
when ripe, each section containing a cluster of seed 
closely patched with cotton wool, If the narrow 
end of the section be lighted, it will keep a flame 
for about ten minutes, the seeds giving off a large 
quantity of oil. The cotton is of no use for 
spinning, the yield from each pod being extremely 
small. — Indian Agriculturist. 
