January i, iSoi.j THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
style. It consists of a curved framework in Deodar- 
filled with panels of highly decorated Indian glazed 
tiles. Above are two inscriptions in Hindustanee 
and the wonis “ Au Palais Indien.” The front of 
the interior is divided into two parts by an ornamen- 
tal carved screen filled with lattice work. At the 
back is a spacious saloon. There is & separate entrance 
to each of the front ilivisions, one of which is need 
as a shop for selling dry tea, and the other as the tea 
restaurant. It is hoped that this will compare favour- 
ably with even the most handsome cafes in Paris. 
'The Indian style is oanied throughout. Opposite the 
pat titiou mentioned above, there is an elaborate*y 
carved diviin in a recess also filled with lattice work 
and carving. Between the front salon and the larger 
room behind are three beautiful ludiau arches, both 
sides of which ate covered with carving. The larger 
saloon represents the lent of au Indian prince ; 
the walls and ceilings are draped with rich 
stuffs, and the light is softened by btirg 
adimitted through three windows of stained glass. 
These windows reoall those formerly existing in the 
old palace of Joypur. In panels the names of the 
leading tea districts— Assam, Caohar, Sylhet, Dooar.«, 
Kangra, and Kumaon appear in striking colours. 
It will be felt that oil thts is a brilliant and appro- 
priate settiug for the Indian tea of excellent quality 
which is the only kind supplied. So far ns we know 
this is the first shop or restaurant in Europe the de- 
corations of which ate exclusively Indian. As an ex- 
ample of how easily the lich act of country can be 
applied to European requirements wo hope the res- 
taurent may bo popular wi h many who are not so 
deeply iuterestod in lire tea question.— 2 imes of India, 
Nov. *5ih. 
WYNAAD PLANTING NOTES. 
Like Mr. Micawber, we are beginning to hope that 
“ something is going to turn up,” for the weather 1ms 
been so extra,ordiiiiry and so unusual, '.hat we can only 
suppose (according to your ” Native Observer”) that 
the Sbastras must have predicted if. Perhaps he can 
also teL us whaf rraults are to bo expected ! (Jou- 
thiual downpours have kept iha country as green and 
luxuriant as in inid-monsoon ; plants, which are usu- 
ally withering by now, have again sprouted up in fresh 
life. Tnere is a rush of new wood on the coffee trees, 
and spike is showing up. We heard unmoved, of cin- 
chona clearings being planted up during the last week 
in October ; and those ivho were shaving (trees) expe- 
rienced phases of despair, only to ho understood by the 
spectacle of heaps of hark becoming “ discolored,” for 
lack of sunshine to dry it properly. But during the 
last few days there has been a delightful change, and 
we are having bright days and cool crisp mornings and 
evenings, without the usual accompaniment of east 
winds. It is great relief to us ; tor wo began to dread a 
renewal of the loaf disease from continuous wet. Our 
coffee i*, as usual, locking “splendid for next year.” 
It should console us for the wretched disappointment 
of tho present crop, to notice th^'.t an idle season has 
opipareutly invigorated tl.elrees very markedly. Fields 
wliich a few mouths ago seemed lit, only to abandon, 
have burst out again in a splendid show of new wood 
and leaf. If only we could fe.l sure of seasonable 
blossoming showers, we might be eased of a great load 
of anxiety, for the trees give every promise of a fine 
crop in 111. Over that of Tl) we may draw a melan- 
choly veil. \Yith most of us, even our lowest estimates 
have been reduced, and reduotion” in everything 
else, is the alarming result — alunning, because coffee 
now-a-days must be coddled — or go out, — so that it is 
after all but a doubtful economy to cut down, abso- 
lutely, necessary expenses. The lowness geuervlly af- 
fects our labour. Urop hi nearly over iu most places 
already, aud it is very diffioult to employ the usual 
gangs. The labour question ba.s been an unpleasant 
one all this year. Our coolies (heavily advanced of 
course) should have been in during the latter end of 
May, but very few arrived before August, and many 
are only now putting iu an appearance. Oousequciitly 
we had to struggle through our weeding aud planting, 
with any gang.s we could get from the coast, and our 
Lordly Canarese complain, because, “ they’ve got no 
work to do,” and threaten to take contracts in other 
districts, oblivious, s.-erningly, of what they still owe us. 
* * *Tho ainbona disease still continues in places, but has 
not ckstroyed all faith in the product. New clearings 
have been opened iu the district for ledgers, and a 
great deal of Liberian coffee, aud pepper Las also been 
planted. The pepper crop does not seem to le parti- 
cularly good this 3 ear. Lotus hope that it, as well as 
cc ffee, meditates doing us a good turn in the coming sea- 
son. I think wo deserve it. — Madras Times, Nov. 22nd. 
O 
NOTES ON ESSENTIAL OILS. 
{From Messrs. Sddmmcl Co.'s Hcport ) 
Eucalyptus OiL.~The production of eucalyptus oil 
in Alt,Gi'ia, which only amounts to about 2,000 kilos 
a year, is said to be capable of considerable extension, 
and even at the low prices it must be a very lucrative 
industry, if one may judge from the experiments which 
have been made in Leipzig with French material, the 
price of which was greatly enhanced by the enormous 
rate of radway carriage. It is also said that in Algeria 
the cultivation of Eucalyptus rostrata is steadily 
gaining ground, although this species is of slight value 
cniy for ihe manufacture of oil. Oil of this variety has 
noL hitherto been known in commerce. With relerence 
to an observation by Mr. P. W. Squire, in the Chemist 
and Druggist that an oil has frequently been met 
with in commerce lately which was offered as Eucalyp- 
tus Amygdalina, but which contained no phellandrene, 
and was dextrogyre instead of levogyre to polarised 
light, we have ourselves noticed that the oil bought 
direct from Australia recently contained only a small 
percentage of phellaudren and was weakly dextrogyre. 
We are of opinion that the leaves of different 
varieties of eucalyptus are no longer kept carefully 
separated in Ausirulia during the distilling opera- 
tion, and that consequently rha names uuUer vl-ich 
the oils are brought into commerce do not t, .ujs 
correspond with their origin. On the occasion of the 
recent Berlin Cougrt ss three new varieties of eucalyp- 
tus oils d stilled by us were exhibited. These oils 
are uut yet found in commerce, but one or the other of 
them is about to make its appearance. These oils are 
the distillates of E. dealhata, E.macxilata, and E. macu- 
lata var. citriodora, all of them of a fiue meliasa-like 
flavour. In tho meantime large samples of distilled oil 
of E, maculata var. citriodora have been received from 
Queensland. This oil has been distilled by Mr. J.qSreys 
T'lmbury. Not only does its flavour agree with that 
of our distillate, but its other properties also are so 
much akin to it that there is no doubt of the iden- 
tity of its origin. Its e-g. at 15° is 0 873 ; about 
three-fourths of it has a boiling point of 205® to 210®, 
small quantities vapouri-iitg somewhat below or above 
this temperature. The fraction haviog a boiling point 
of 205° to 210® consists of almost chemically pure 
citronellon. Upon agitating the oil with a solution 
of bisulphite of soda the mixture becomes strongly 
heated and forms a fairly hard mass, from which, 
after washing with ether and decomposing 
with a solution of soda, pure citronellon sepa- 
rates. The parts of a lower boiling-point than 200’ 
(about -1 per cent, of the wholel showed none of the 
characteristic reactions of cineol (eucalyptol), and it 
may therefore bo taken for granted that this botiy is 
wanting in the oil of E. macidata var. citriodora. The 
thoroughly rectified oil is colourless, has a pleasant 
flavonr of melissa, and, presuming the price not to 
ho too high, will be useful iu perfumery aud soap- 
making. Uii'ortunately, we are quite in the dark 
as to the price, and therefore will scarcely be 
pofsible to make any sales until April next year. 
There is no dcubt that the oil has a very much 
finer flavour than citronella til, aud if its price 
should lie between 2s (11 and oi 6d per lb. it may 
find a considerable employment ; if it is dearer how- 
ever, it will only be used on a smaller scale. [In 
January of this year wo had a communication from 
our Melbourne office regarding this oil iu which it 
