332 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
[Nov.  I,  1895. 
ECHOES  OF  SCIENCE: 
A iii1)ber-yielding  creeper,  the  “milk  withe” 
Forsteronia  tloribamla),  has  been  discovered  in 
Jannvica,  through  the  attempts  of  botanists  to 
acclimatise  the  india-rubber  tree  in  that  island. 
The  climber  is  generally  as  thick  as  a man’s 
wrist,  and  reaches  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees 
and  rocks.  The  milky  juice  coagulates  on  ex- 
posure to  the  sun 
Gelsoline,  the  new  fibre  from  the  bark  of  the 
mulberry  tree,  is  treated  like  Hax,  and  purified 
with  soaj)  and  water  to  prepare  it  for  the  weaving 
shed.  The  cloth,  as  now  made  in  Italy,  is  ten 
times  stronger  than  cotton,  and  only  one-tenth 
the  price  of  flax. 
The  flowers  of  the  “ mahwah  ” (Bassia  lotifolia) 
are  eaten  in  India.  They  fall  at  night  in  large 
number,  and  are  gathered  in  the  morning,  then 
eaten  raw.  They  are  sweet,  but  of  a sickly  flavour 
and  smell.  The  flowers  are  also  dried  and  stored 
as  food,  especiall5'  by  the  Bheels. — Globe. 
INDIAN  PATENTS. 
Calcutta,  the  19th  Sept.  1895. 
Specifications  of  the  undermentioned  inventions 
have  been  filed,  under  the  provisions  of  Act  V.  of 
1888:— 
For  improved  process  and  apparatus  tor  the  treat- 
ment of  Rhea  Grass  and  similar  fibres. — 178  of 
1895. — Henry  Hungerford  Boyle,  Chemist,  of  Lon- 
don, for  improved  process  and  apparatus  for  the 
treatment  of  rhea  grass  and  similar  fibres  for  com- 
mercial purposes.  (Filed  10th  September  1895.) 
For  improvements  in  and  relating  to  machines  for 
delinting  cotton  seed. — 196  of  1895. — James  Jones 
Faulkner,  Citizen,  94,  Poplar  Street,  in  the  City  of 
Memphis,  County  of  Shelby,  and  State  of  Ten- 
nessee, United  States  of  America,  Machinist,  for 
improvements  in  and  relating  to  machines  for  de- 
linting cotton  seed.  (Filed  10th  September  1895.) 
The  fees  prescribed  have  been  paid  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  exclusive  privilege,  in  respect  of  the  un- 
dermentioned invention,  for  the  periods  shown 
against  each  : — 
For  cutting  and  gathering  leaves  from  off  tea 
Bushes. — 246  of  1889. — John  Ashington  Thompson, 
tea  planter,  for  cutting  and  gathering  leaves  from 
off  tea  bushes  by  means  of  specially  constructed 
shears,  scissors,  knives,  hooks  or  sickles.  (From 
3rd  November  1895  to  2nd  November  1896.) — Indian 
En<iincer. 
THE  TIMBER  FUEL  OF  CEYLON. 
We  do  not  remember  seeing  .any  analy.ses  of  the 
relative  value  of  tlie  woods  of  tins  island  as  lie.at- 
giving  and  steam-rai.sing  fuel.  If  inform, ation  on  tliis 
subject  could  be  collected  and  published,  .a  con- 
siderable service  would  be  rendered  to  steam 
users  especially  in  tea  factories,  and  indeed 
in  all  factories  for  drying  purposes.  .\s 
the  distances  increase  over  which  fuel 
for  estates  has  to  be  transported  in  correspon- 
dence with  the  denudation  of  liioximate  sources 
of  supply,  this  information  will  become  of  very 
considerable  importance.  There  would  be  direct 
and  large  .sacrifice  of  economy  in  .accepting  a 
supply  of  wood  possessing  a lower  degree  of 
heat-raising  properties  than  could  be  obtained 
from  the  better  descriptions  Wh.at  it  is  desirable 
to  know  is,  which  woods  throw  out  when  burnt, 
the  largest  amo\int  of  heat  and  leave  the  small- 
est resitluum  of  ash.  It  must  be  m.anifestly 
unwise  to  use  those  woods  which  ofiend  in  res- 
pect to  the  latter  (juality.  We  doubt  whether 
liitherto  this  ([uestion  has  been  much  studied. 
The  widening  area  that  now  has  to  be  traversed 
I,»efore  Mood  fit  for  fuel  can  be  obtained  must 
however,  soon  necessitate  its  studJ^  No  doubt 
the  Railw.ay  Locomotive  Department  and  the 
Managers  oi  some  of  our  Colombo  Mills  have 
already  considered  it.  There  must  also  be 
many  planters  who  have,  by  this  time,  g.ained  <an 
extensive  experience  of  the  woods  most  eflica- 
cious  in  steam-raising,  and  we  hope  that  some  of 
them  M’ill  make  the  result  of  their  experience  gener- 
ally available.  And  such  results,  if  collated  and 
jiublished,  would  be  useful  in  other  ways.  For 
instance, — most  of  us  are  aware  that  damp  wood 
fuel  is  a thorn  in  the  side  of  the  fire-raiser. 
But  perhaps  few  are  axvare  of  the  fact  mentioned 
to  us  by  one  ivho  has  had  considerable  experience 
with  wood  fuel  for  steam  boilers,  that  a certain 
projtortion  of  green  or  damp  wood,  largely  increases 
the  heat  of  a wood  fire  burned  under  draught. 
There  is  a tendency  when  the  fuel  consi.sts  ivholly 
of  diy  M’ooil  to  “fly”  ivlien  the  draught  is  at 
all  sorong.  An  admixture  of  green  wood  ivill 
not  only  check  this,  but  the  steam  given  of! 
greatly  increases  the  general  heat  and  promotes 
th,at  slow  combustion  which  it  is  desirable  to 
obtain.  Even  in  the  sjilitting  of  the  logs  there 
are  specialities,  the  observance  of  xvhich  has 
useful  results,  and  these  vary  both  with 
dift’erent  kinds  of  ivood  and  xvith  those  that 
.are  either  dry  or  damp.  Some  woods  burn  better 
sawn  tr.ansversely  into  billets,  others  yield 
their  maximum  of  heat  lyhen  split  longitudinally! 
At  .all  times  the  best  results  are  obtained  when 
a small  proportion  of  coal  can  be  burned  with 
the  Mood,  tlie  combination  of  gases  yielded  by 
the  two  fuels  largely  increasing  the  heat  and 
promoting  ready  combustion.  Notes  on  the 
“ topic  ” we  have  started  from  planters  or  others 
with  local  experience  would  be  readily  receive<l 
and  utilised  by  us,  for  the  gener.al  benefit. 
FRUIT  UPCOUNTRY: 
LEMONS— AVOCADO  PEARS— CHERIMOYAS. 
The  reproach  of  our  hill  [)lantations  having 
no  proper  g.ardens  or  orchards,  is  certainly  in  a 
f.air  way  to  be  removed  and  a few  years  more 
shouhl  witness  a great  ch.ange.  First,  we  have  our 
friend  Mr.  .1.  G.  Macfarlane  of  Ormidale,  Mas- 
keliya,  xviiting : — 
“ There  has  been  a good  deal  of  interesting  reading 
lately  in  the  Observer  re  fruit  culture.  I send  you 
under  separate  cover  four  lemons  grown  on  this 
estate.  What  do  you  think  of  them  ? The  tree  from 
which  they  were  gathered  I planted  here  about  ten 
years  ago.” 
The  lemons  sent  to  us  are  (luite  etpial  in  size 
and  flavour  to  those  recently  brought  from  Mil- 
dnr.a,  Australia,  and  higher  jn  ai.se  we  can  scarcely 
give.  An  orchard  of  10  or  20  acres  of  such 
lemon  trees.  Mould  be  a sjdendid  addition  to  a 
residential  property  in  our  hill-country,  the  crop 
being  M'orth  p.acking  for  the  old  country. 
From  LoM'er  H.aputale,  Mr.  Maartensz  has  sent 
us  from  the  famous  Macaldenia  Gardens  some 
very  fine  Avocado  pears  M'hich  though  rather  too  rich 
and  buttery  for  our  taste.  Me  can  judge  must 
be  as  M'ell  grown  ami  ripened  as  any  in  their 
native  habitat. — Next  “OKI  Colonist”  and  others 
M'ill  be  interested  in  learning  th.at  our  latest  gift 
which  comes  from  Mr.  H.  F.  Dunbar  of  Gam- 
])aha,  Udapussellawa,  namely  tMo  Mell-groMui 
“Cherimoyas”  are  as  fine  .and  luscious  as  any  in 
the  Far  \Vest,  M’e  venture  to  say.  To  Mr.  Nock 
belongs  the  credit  of  introducing  tJiis  line  fruit, 
the  Gamjtaha  tree  being  groMii,  we  believe,  from 
his  seeil  iir.st  put  in  by  Mr.  .1.  Bagra. 
What  has  become  of  our  Mildura  friends  and 
tbeir  projiosed  Lemon  and  tfrange  j)lantation  ? — 
We  hear  noM’  of  a coujde  of  jdanters  mIio  are 
