MAkCtl  '2,  1896.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
601 
THE  ASSlMn.ATJON  OF  NITKU(;EN  BV 
TEA  FLAxNTS. 
Dear  Sir, — Eiielosed  ]jleaae  find  a uoatributiou  to 
your  Magaijiiie  “ The  ludiau  F'orestor  ” — which  I 
trust  may  be  accepted.  The  vast  subject  oi  cultiou- 
tion  has  received  a deal  of  research  from  me  within 
the  last  fifteeu  years. — Yours  faithfully, 
Geo.  W.  C.  Cock. 
Notes  ou  '■  Assimilatiou  of  Nitrogcu  through  the 
Agency  of  theEoot  Tubercles  m certain  Papiliouace.a:>.’' 
[From  the  Dictiouary  of  Economic  I’roducts  Vol. 
V,  No.  169  a.] 
1 It  is  now  a recognised  scientitic  fact  that  cer- 
tain of  the  Papilionacetn  (called  so  because  their 
flo'wers  resemble  the  wings  of  buttertliosj  have  the 
property  of  absorbing  nitrogen,  which  sets  up  a 
disease  on  the  rootlets  in  the  shape  of  small  nodules. 
In  these  nodules  bacteria  are  bred.)  When  ripe,  the 
nodules  burst,  and  the  higher  plants — in  our  case 
tea — have  the  power  to  feed  on  those  bacteria  so 
set  free. 
•2  For  the  above  information  we  are  entirely  in- 
debted to  Dr.  Watt,  c.  i.  e. 
;!  Now,  our  object  is  to  make  use  of  this  information. 
The  way  we  would  suggest  is  as  follows  : — 
yelect  a convenient  spot  near  the  Tea  Garden, 
in  Forest  land  if  possible.  An  acre  or  so  would  do 
uicey.  Prepare  the  soil  as  we  do  in  makinga  Tea- 
seed  nursery.  When  the  land  is  ready,  sow  broadcast 
seeds  of  Saw  {Alhizrda  UtiiniLUa]  or  Sensitive  Plant 
the  latter  appears  to  us  to  be  more 
suitable  as  the  rootlets  are  swarming  with  those 
nodules. 
4 At  the  same  time  a Saw  nursery  should  bo 
prepared.  When  the  trees  are  of  a decent  height  they 
may  be  planted  in  the  Tea  Garden  say  48  feet  apart. 
5 Now  we  come  to  what  we  consider  of  vital 
importance.  The  soil  of  the  Sensitive  plant  nursery 
after  a few  months,  should  be  carried  away  and 
spead  around  and  below  the  Saw  trees,  which  ws  have 
already  planted  in  our  Tea  Gardens,  as  it  will  be 
found  to  be  simp  y impregnated  with  nitrogen  bac- 
teria. These  bacteria  will  fix  on  to  the  Saw  tree 
rootlets  and  set  up  the  irritation  which  is  the  cause 
of  the  disease  which  wo  sec  in  the  shape  of  nodules. 
These  on  becoming  ripe,  as  we  have  seen  before, 
burst  and  let  loose  bacteria  which  the  higher  plants — 
in  our  case  Tea — have  the  property  of  liviug  on. — 
Indian  Forester. 
MU.  BLECUYNDEN’S  PUOGUESS. 
Extract  'from  letter,  dated  Neie  Yuri,  13th  l)ee. 
IS'Jt),  fruni  It.  Bleehjpidea,  Esq. 
MK8.  ITpton. 
1 propose  in  this  letter  to  give  some  details  of  the 
Work  being  done  by  Mrs.  Tipton,  in  continuation 
of  my  letter  on  the  same  subject,  dated  the  16th 
October  last. 
During  the  time  the  Pood  Show  was  run- 
ning in  the  Madison  ' Square  Garden,  Mrs. 
Tipton  passed  a great  deal  of  her  time  there,  as 
she  had  charge  of  the  arrangements  for  us  in  the  High 
tea-room,  and  used  the  opportunity  to  get  into  con- 
tact with  the  different  ladies’  organisations  that  we 
were  desirous  of  utilising.  During  Outober,  T.  xAuderson, 
a grocer,  with  a very  larger  number  of  stores  opened 
a now  one  and  made  a particular  request  that  Mrs. 
Tipton  should  assist  011  the  opening  night  and  serve 
tea.  This  she  did  with  the  assistance  of  a colored 
girl  and  of  a man  whom  we  dressed  up  in  one  of  the 
Khitmagar’s  uniforms,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of 
Mr.  Anderson.  There  was  a good  de.rl  of  work  in 
connection  with  one  or  two  of  the  societies,  helping 
them  generally  making  tea  sherbet  and  seeing  that 
they  looked  after  the  tea  samples  we  gave  them  to 
sell.  The  acquaintances  thus  formed  have  in  some 
instances  already  proved  of  use,  and  have  led  to 
work,  and  others  will  do  so  hereafter.  One  of  the 
results  of  the  High  teas  was  a tea  given  at  The 
People’'s  Tabernacle,  where  several  of  those  who  wore 
present  remembered  the  tea  being  served  at  the 
Fresh  Air  E:xcursioiiB ; some  ten  gallons  ct  tea  v.ere 
served  on  this  occasion,  jSi-d  October- 
78 
A very  large  number  of  people  were  interviewed, 
and  the  managers  of  every  one  of  the  organisations 
which  had  days  for  High  teas.  Many  of  these  were 
useless  and  will  lead  to  no  result  while  others,  as 
I have  said,  have  already  proved  fruiiful. 
POLITICS  AND  PUIUTV. 
Oil  Election  pay  (.ith  November),  Mrs.  Tipton 
helped  at  one  of  the  Election  stations  in  the  Italian 
quarter  of  the  town,  where  a number  of  the  ladies  con- 
nected with  the  Social  Parity  and  other  societies  had  a 
refreshment  and  tea  booth  in  a large  buildimu  Tea 
and  coffee  were  served,  but  the  people  w'ere  poor 
and  not  of  the  class  who  drink  tea,  being  mostly 
Italians.  Home  live  gallons  of  tea  w'ere  served  during 
the  day  and  much  of  it  taken  by  the  officers,  police 
and  others  at  the  halls.  The  ivork  ivas  done  princi- 
pally to  get  into  contact  with  the  ladies  who  con- 
cern themselves  so  much  about  politics,  and 
W'ho  have,  in  their  own  way,  some  influence 
through  the  clubs  to  which  they  belong. 
Many  of  the  ladies  Mrs.  Tipton  met  during 
the  day  and  in  the  evening  are  well  known  by  name 
and  will  be  useful  to  us. 
TEA  AND  MUSIC. 
On  the  16th  November  Mrs.  Tipton  attended  a 
“ Musicale  and  Tea  ” given  for  the  benefit  of  a 
Christmas  Tree  Fund  in  connection  with  a church 
in  Brooklyn.  The  reception  was  given  in  a private 
house  and  admittance  was  taken  in  the  shape  of  a 
dressed  doll  from  each  of  the  visitors.  These,  1 be- 
lieve, were  afterwards  sold.  The  house  belonging  to 
a Mrs.  Smith,  at  w'hich  the  reception  was  given,  is 
in  the  best  resident  part  of  Brooklyn — 211  Lincoln 
Place.  The  space  assigned  to  Mi’s.  Tipton  and  the 
method  in  which  these  affairs  arc  conducted,  I 
will  describe  in  Mrs.  Tipton’s  own  language  as 
the  affair  was  typical  and  this  one  description 
will  servo  for  other  similar  functions  wo 
have  attended  : — “ The  space  assigned  me  for 
the  tea  w’as  an  alcove  (three  windows)  in  the  music- 
room  which  was  between  the  parlour  and  dining-room. 
These  windows  I draped  with  the  Indian  goods.  I 
covered  the  arch  with  a border  and  draped  the  sides, 
covering  completely  all  wood  work.  The  lea  table 
was  covered  with  an  embroidered  cloth  ('*  phulkrrie.”) 
I had  a small  table  for  the  packet  teas  to  be  sold 
from,  and  on  this  table  I had  a large  palm.  The 
dining-room  was  used  for  cake  and  candy  sales,  and 
with  the  folding  doors  open  the  three  rooms  were 
practically  one.  The  tea  table  was  very  pretty, 
having  a full  tea  service  of  silver,  two  high  unique 
silver  tea-pots  and  a sugar  bowl,  Dresden  tea  caddy 
and  about  fifty  or  sixty  beautiful  after-dinner 
coffee  cups.  The  tea  (which  was  supplied 
by  Tetley’s  agent  by  arrangement  made  with 
him  by  Mrs.  Tipton)  arrived  at  three  o’clock  just 
as  the  first  carriage  drove  up.  Wo  served  from  6 to 
6-iiO  p.m.  fully  200  out  of  the  :-’,00  guests.  Owing  to 
the  music  and  the  recitations  in  the  music-ioom,  it 
left  me  very  little  opportunity  to  talk  tea.  I sold 
6^  lb.  in  lb.  packets.  ’ 
AN  UNl'KOJUSINO  LINE, 
On  the  26th  November  Mrs,  Tipon  went  with  some 
ladies,  who  go  there  every  year,  to  Blackwell’s  Island, 
where  there  are  a number  of  Government  institutions, 
including  hospitals,  lunatic  asylums,  etc.  The  party 
was  made  up  of  charitable  ladies  who  go  regularly 
before  thanksgiving  to  give  some  of  the  unfortunate 
people  confined  there  in  the  Epileptic  Wai'd  a dinner. 
The  idea  of  Mrs.  Tipton’s  going  was  to  keep  in  touch 
with  the  ladies  and  got  them  to  be  accustomed  to  cal! 
upon  her  for  services  and  to  get  at  the  doctors.  Tea 
was  served,  but  I don’t  think  it  will  lead  to  anything. 
“ HELPERS  OP  THE  HOLY  SOUL.’' 
On  the  27th  tea  was  served  at  the  Stanton 
Street  Mission  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Pearson 
of  the  United  Charities  and  on  the  3Uth,  in 
accordance  with  arrangements  made  some  time  be- 
fore, at  the  Waldorf  Hotel,  the  finest  hotel  in  the 
city,  one  of  the  most  fashionable  and  “ tony”  in  the 
country.  A Reception  and  Bazaar  was  given  by  the 
■■  Helpers  of  the  Holy  Soul,”  a Catholic  order,  which 
•■  as  inaugurated  at  the  Waldorf  by  a tea,  admission 
being  by  card  at  a dollar  a head,  and,  it  was  carried 
on  for'  the  tbjeti  days  subsequent  at  the  Cpu- 
