596 
THE TROPiCAL AQRIOULTURIST 
[February 2 , 1891 . 
COLD WATEE WITHOUT ICE. 
The following method of oblaiiiing a con.^faut supply 
of cool water at all times is described by The Iiailroad, 
and, Engineering Journal as being in general uso in 
Hanover, York County, Fa. The town, says the Journal, 
is closely built up and without any system cf drainage, 
so that the water from the wells is unfit to drink. 
Some years ago these reasons led to the introduction 
into the town of a supply of very eseeilont 
water from a large spring about three miles 
distant. This water is brought through iron pipes, 
and when it reaches the consu ncr in summer is warm, 
while the wator in the wells is cool. For this reafou 
many of the inhabitants drink the well wafer, and 
as a consequence, typhoid fever is a prevalent direase 
in that community. In order to obtain pure cool 
water, not impregnated with lime, some of the inhabi- 
tants of the place have adop'ied a plan which is so 
simple and gives such ercellent remits that it is worthy 
of general adoption wherever there is a water supply 
other than wells tr springs. 
The plan is ns follows ; — A cylindrical galvanised 
sheet iron tank, 12in. in diameter and 4 or 5ft. long, 
is placed in the bottom of a well. This tal k is then 
connected by a galvanised iron pipe with the water 
supply pipes, and another pipe is carried from the 
tank to the surface of the ground, or to any con- 
venient point for drawing water, and has a cock at 
the upper end. Tho tank is cons 'quently always filled 
with water from the water supply', and being in the 
bottom of the well, the water is cooled off and 
acquires the temperature of tho well; so (hat that 
which is drawn fr.im the tank is a'l cool as well 
wate", and is without any of tho impurities with 
which the latter is contaminated. The water drawn 
from the tank in one of the wells in the )i!ace 
named had a temperature of hOdeg. when the Iher- 
moinster in the atpaosphere above stood at 761eg. 
This method gives an abundant supply cf cool water 
during the whole summer, and can be adopted in 
all cities, towns or in the country. If a well is 
available it can be used ; if not, by simply digging 
a hole in the ground, deep enough so as not to 
be affected by the surface temperature, and burying 
the tank, it will an.swer equally well. This hole might 
be dug in a cellar or outside the building tf Iho 
water has any impurities in suspension, such as mud 
the tank should he made accessible so that it can 
be cleaned separately. — Invention. 
❖ 
JAMAICA SOEEEL. 
There is one plant that would well repay a more 
general cultivation than it now rec lives — at least from a 
housewife’s point of view. That is the Jamaica Sorrel 
plant. It grows readily from seed, stands transplant- 
ing well, bears prolifically, and the fruit when cooked 
in jelly, or as sauce, so closely r« ssmbles cranberries 
as to almost deceive an expert. It is quite as good 
and wou^d prove a most excellent substitute for those 
delicious berries. The plants in this neighbourhood 
are now just blooming ant in two or three weeks will 
he ready for culinary purposes, and unless injured by 
cold, will continue bearing till sometime after Christ- 
mas. The plant should be cultivated by every family 
where a delicious jelly, or sauce, is aiitdenly appre- 
ciated. — Tamjja. Journal . 
[Ordinary sorrel comes on exhausted ground in 
Australia and after a time is said to restore fertility. 
Bat what is this Jamaica sorrel? — E d. T- A ] 
o- 
Old King Coffee is onoo more making an effort to 
raise hishia'l. A Hapu ale proprietor tells me that 
this season he will obtain a better crop than lie has 
had durin;{ the past 12 yoirs. and in consequence, he 
and other planters have ceasfd planting up more tea" 
I also hear of an estate in the Kangaiia district with 
gnod Coffee prospects, so good indeed that an ubaud- 
oued block is to be re-opened with the oM etsple ! I 
hope anticipations will be realized. — Cor, 
BAEK AND DRUG REPORT. 
(From the Chemist and Druggist.) 
London, Jan. 1st. 
Essential Oils.— I n Citronella there has been some 
business today at Jd per oz. for bottles ; tin oilisquottd 
at ^d to 13-16ths per oz- 
Coconut uin.-i^.steady of sale, with some business in 
fine Ceylon, delivered at 29s ; .and for near at hand 26s 
9d to 27s is quoted. Cochin oil on the spot is held for 
33b 6d to 31s; and for near at band 32s, c.i f. terms. 
Quinine. — Since our last report this article has been 
in good request, and prices improved slowy until today, 
when the market again became noticeably we-ker. The 
transactions reported since the middle of last week 
include about 100,000 to 120,000 oz. German-bulk quinine 
(B & S and Brunswick) iu second-hands, at from 12d 
up to 12|d per oz, tho latter price being raid yesterday 
but today it would probably be possible to buy at 12fd 
per oz This morning it was announced that ilessrs. 
Howards & Sous had reduced their quotation by Id 
per oz, iheir brand in bulk being reduced to Is .5d[ and 
in vials to s 7d per oz. The anuouueement of this 
roduction appe rs to have ere.ated some surprise. For 
delivery, the transaotlons which have become pnbliclotal 
up 10 about .b',0' 0 or 60.000 oz secruid and first Ivind 
German ulk (•., & S and Brunswick), at 12jd up to 
12Jd per oz for nenr-at-haud to Mar' h delivery, and the 
B & S agents report also a sale (for consumption) of 
5.000 oz at 13d per oz, early delivery, 

HOW TO CAPTURE PORCUPINE. 
Has Mr. Nock, who is so much troubled with 
porcupine in Hakgala Gardens, ever tried the 
native dedge fa trench baited) as related by 
“Tennent”? Here is tho passage from his 
“ Ceylon ” : — 
I'orcupine. — The Poroupiue* is another of tho rodentia 
which has (lr.awn down upon itself the hostility of the 
plaut-rs, from its des‘ruction cf the young ccco nut 
palm=, to which it is a pernic ous and persevering, 
but withal so crafty, a visitor, that it is with difficulty 
any ttap can be so disguised, or any bait made so 
alluring, as to lead to its eaptme. The usual expe- 
dient 18 to place tome of its favourite food at the 
extremity o( a trench, so narrow as to prevent the 
pnreupine turning, whilst the direction of his quills 
effectually bars his relrfak On a newly planted coco, 
r uttope, at Hangwelle, within a few miles ol Colombo, 
I h.Tve heard of as many as twenty-sevfn being thus 
captured in a single night; but such success is rare. 
The more ordinary expedient is to smoke them out 
by burning straw at the apertures of their burrows. 
The flesh is esteemed a delicacy in 0-ylon, and in 
consistency, colour, and flavour, it very much resombles 
that of a ) oung pig. 
^ 
The Forests of “Darkest Africa’’ strike the 
imagination ; but they are not the greatest on 
the earth, In the Empire of Russia there are 
491.218.000 acres of forest ; in Africa, according 
to Stanley’s calculation, there are only 224,000,000 
acres. — Home paper. 
CoL. Bull’s Memo, on Madras Irrigation. — 
Some copies of a memorandum by Col. J. H. 
Bell, R. E., lale of the Madras Public Works De- 
partment, on the Irrigation Works of General Sir 
Arthur T. Cotton, k, c. s. i., k. k., in the Madras 
Presidency, have been sent out by the former 
officer now in England for distribution to officers 
and others in Madras Public Works Dc-partment. 
Colonel Bell in forwarding the copies has informed 
the Chief Engineer that the memorandum was 
drawn by him at the spsoial request of Indian 
Engineer officers. Colonel Bell, we believe, is the 
only officer who was personally cognisant of the 
details of all Sir Arthur Cotton’s projects, and it 
is highly desirable that his memorandum should 
be put into the hands of all Engineering offioeis. 
The volumes have been supplied gratis, and 
have been acknowledged with tuitable thanks by 
Government, — Indian Engineer. [Copies ought to 
be obtained for the Ceylon Irrigation Officers. — 
Ed. T, a.] 
‘I' Hystrix leucuruf, Sgkoe, 
