266 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIS'l . 
[Oct,  I,  1895. 
pale  ABsain  tea  without  this  pest.  It  is  in  fact  all 
but  universal  on  the  Assam  pure  jats,  and  often 
makes  plots  of  exceptionally  good  tea  look  mottled 
from  the  alternation  of  diseased  and  healthy  bushes, 
or  whole  patches  may  liave  turned  pinkish  yellow. 
So  far  I have  not  found  it  on  China  or  Hy- 
brid. Now  if  it  be  confirmed  by  future  obser- 
vers that  the  flushing  of  the  purer  jat  teas  is  re- 
tarded by  this  pest,  Adhatoda  will  be  admitted  as 
asuming  a new  interest  when  I add  that  so  far  as 
my  experiments  go,  it  not  only  kills  the  mite, 
but  the  plants  after  one  or  two  applications 
become  bright  green  in  colour  and  give  indications 
of  flushing.  My  experiments  have  not,  however,  been 
carried  to  the  extent  of  demonstrating  that  the 
plants  will  flush  as  soon  as  the  mite  is  killed,  though 
they  justify  me  in  the  expectation  that  this  may  pos- 
sibly be  found  to  be  the  case. 
UXCOMPI.ETED  EXPEKIMENTS. 
Besides  being  fatal  to  all  mites  the  insecticide  has 
proved  invaluable  in  the  hands  of  some  planters  against 
white  ants.  So  far,  however,  I am  disappointed  with 
the  results  of  my  investigations  into  the  subject  of 
Adhatoda,  but  mainly  because  while  moving  from 
garden  to  garden  I have  not  had  the 
time  to  personally  supervise  the  experiments  that 
should  be  undertaken.  It  is  on  this  account 
that  I recommend  that  we  should  not  too 
readily  abandon  the  subject,  since  no  in- 
secticide  possesses  the  advantages  of  Adhatoda,  pro- 
vided it  can  be  proved  to  be  a poison  of  the 
required  potency. 
BLIGHT-PEOOF  SEED. 
But  I would  add  that  I am  more  than  ever  con- 
vinced that  the  pests  of  the  tea  plant  are  never 
likely  to  be  destroyed  by  insecticides.  Such  treat- 
ment may  assist,  the  more  so  when  blights  do  not 
assume  gigantic  proportions.  The  subject  will  have 
to  be  dealt  with  on  more  general  principles,  such 
as  improvements  in  the  system  of  cultivation,  more 
careful  selection  of  seed,  especially  the  production 
of  blight-proof  seed,  and  an  extended  study  into  the 
life  histories  of  the  blights,  so  as  to  put  us  in  a 
position  to  deal  with  them  at  the  stage  in  their  lives 
at  which  they  are  weakest. — Civil  and  Jlilitan/  Gazette. 
♦ 
TEA  BLIGHT  IN  ASSAM. 
One  of  the  most  important  results  of  Dr.  Watt's 
recent  deputation  to  Assam  with  reference  to  tea 
blight  has  been  to  convince  the  planters  that,  as 
Mr.  Buckingham  says,  “ there  is  as  much  to  be 
learned  on  the  subject  of  proper  cultivation  of  the 
lant  as  in  that  of  the  remedy  of  actual  blights.” 
he  Assam  branch  of  the  Indian  Tea  Association 
has  approached  the  Government  with  a request  that 
it  will  supervise  the  scientific  labours  of  a chemist 
whom  it  13  proposed  to  bring  out  with  a view  to 
his  devoting  several  years  to  a thorough  investiga- 
tion of  the  chemical  properties  of  the  plant.  It  is 
felt  that  the  Government  of  India  is  best  qualified 
to  select  the  most  capable  man  for  this  undertaking, 
and  in  order  that  nis  work  may  be  efficiently 
supervised  it  is  proposed  that  he  should  bo  asso- 
ciated with  one  of  the  scientific  departments.  The 
Association  is  willing  to  pay  his  salary  upon  the 
understanding  that  the  result  of  his  investigations 
becomes  its  property. — Enijliahmun. 
A TEA  EXl’EllT  WANTED. 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  General  Committee 
of  the  Assam  Branch  Indian  Tea  Association,  held 
last  mouth,  we  notice  that  the  question  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  a scientific  officer  for  the  tea  districts 
was  discussed.  We  append  for  the  benefit  of  our 
home  readers  the  memorandum  on  the  subject  to 
be  submitted  to  the  Government  of  India.  “The  tea 
industry  having  for  some  jyears  past  felt  the  neces- 
sity of  a thorough  scientific  investigation  into  the 
chemistry  of  the  tea  plant  and  its  cultivation  and 
manufacture  desires  to  bring  the  matter  before  the 
Government  of  India  for  consideration  and  such 
60-opevatiou  as  uiaj^  he  fouud  possible.  It 
is  understood  that  in  a kindred  subject — viz., 
investigation  connected  with  silk — such  co-operation, 
and  even  pecuniary  support,  has  actually  been  ren- 
dered by  the  Governments  of  India  and  Bengal.  It 
is  accordingly  felt  that  the  suppoit,  not  only  of  the 
Government  of  India,  but  also  of  local  Govern- 
ments, whei'e  tea  cultivation  is  pursued,  might 
reasonably  be  extended  to  an  industry  of  such  magni- 
tude and  importance.  The  Tea  Association  fully 
appreciates,  the  assistance  which  the  Government  of 
India  have  rendered,  and  are  still  rendering,  in  the 
deputation  of  Dr.  Watt,  the  Ileporter  on  Economic 
Products,  to  investigate  into  the  subject  of  tea 
blights.  Without  anticipating  the  report  which 
Dr.  Watt  is  likely  to  publish,  it  may  be  said  that 
he  has  convinced  the  planters  in  the  districts 
visited  that  there  is  as  much  to  be  learnt  on 
the  subject  of  proper  cultivation  of  the  plant  as  in 
that  of  tile  reuieay  of  actual  blights.  But  this  in- 
volves a scientific  investigation  mainly  of  a chemical 
nature,  which  the  planting  industry,  unaided,  is  un- 
able to  accomplish,  not  so  much  financially  as  in 
proper  control  and  supervision  of  the  operations  of 
a scientific  officer.  It  is  contemplated  that  a chemist 
of  established  reputation  should  be  brought  out  to 
this  country,  for  a fixed  term  of  years,  say  five,  to 
receive  such  salary  as  would  ensure  his  devoting  his 
entire  energy  to  this  enquiry,  but  on  the  distinct 
understanding  that  the  result  of  his  investigations 
should  be  the  property  of  the  Association.  The  selec- 
tion of  such  an  officer  it  is  felt  that  the  Government 
of  India  would  be  better  qualifie  1 to  make  than  the 
Association.  The  direct  assistance  which  the  Go- 
vernment of  India,  it  is  believed,  could  render  would 
be  in  the  equipment  of  a laboratory,  since  the  ap- 
paratus required  might  be  utilised  by  Government  in 
its  chemical  laboratories,  at  the  close  of  the  contem- 
plated investigation,  it  is  also  suggested  that  the 
major  portion  of  the  apparatus  and  chemicals  might 
even  be  lent  for  the  purpo.se  hero  indicated.  In  ven- 
turing to  suggest  direct  aid,  the  Association  considers 
that  supervision  of  chemical  inquiries  is  of  the  great- 
est importance,  and  for  this  purpose  the  chemical 
officer  might  be  associated  with  one  of  the  scientific 
departments  of  the  Government  of  India.  This 
Association  believes  that  the  desired  aim  of  the  in- 
vestigation might  be  frustrated  through  a scientific 
officer  not  being  supervised,  there  being  the 
liabilities  of  his  attention  being  diverted  from 
the  main  j)oints  at  issue.  But,  in  venturing 
to  make  this  suggestion,  the  Tea  Association  desires 
mainly  to  obtain  an  expression  of  opinion  from  the 
Government  of  India,  and  the  final  scheme  may  be 
matured  hereafter.” — II.  C.  Mail. 
THE  KOLA  NUT  AND  ITS  PROPERTIES. 
The  introduction  of  the  kola  nut  is  comparatively 
of  recent  date,  and  as  a marketable  commodity  its 
advent  here  is  somewhat  of  a novelty ; but  it  clearly 
has  a future  as  an  article  of  commerce.  Its  remark- 
able invigorating  qualities  have  been  much  talked 
about.  By  use  of  the  kola  it  is  stated  that  the  bur- 
den which  could  only  be  borne  by  eight  Braz  - 
liau  negroes  can  easily  be  cari'ied  by  four  African 
mgroes.  Acccording  to  Dr.  Gustave  Le  Bon, 
who  has  devoted  some  attention  to  the  nut 
and  its  properties  in  the  Revue  Scienfi/ique 
the  introduction  of  kola  is  only  of  recent  date. 
From  a chemical  standpoint,  the  composition  of  the 
nut  is  still  imperfectly  known ; from  a physiologi- 
cal standpoint  its  efl'ecls  have  varied  very  consider- 
ably. When  the  grains  of  the  kola  tree  first  came 
to  Europe,  chemists  submitted  them  to  analysis,  and 
as  large  quantities  of  calTeino  were  found,  it  was 
naturally  supposed  that  caffeine  was  the  active  prin- 
ciple of  the  kola,  and  that,  therefore,  it  was  much 
more  simple  to  substitute  this  alkaloid  for  it.  Main- 
tained at  the  French  Academy  of  Medicine  by  the 
high  authority  of  M.  Germain  See,  this  opinion  naturally 
retarded  for  a long  time,  at  any  rate  in  France,  the 
judicious  use  of  the  kola.  The  question  of  the  principles 
to  which  the  kola  nut  owns  its  properties  has  provoKed 
numerous  iiuuiiries,  and  many  results  have  been 
obtained  by  diilercnt  expoiiments.  The  most  impor- 
taat  aualyses  are  those  published  bj'  lieckel.  lie 
