March  2,  1896.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
645 
The  stock  of  oil  on  the  spot  consists  of  about  500 
tons  of  Cochin  and  (iOO  tons  of  Ceylon,  while  the 
supplies  to  come  forward  will  probably  aggregate 
1,500  tons  of  the  former  and  2,100  tons  of  the  latter, 
so  that,  statistically,  Ceylon  is  in  a better  position 
than  Cochin.  That  the  general  trade  understands 
this  to  be  so  is  evidenced  by  the  upward 
tendency'  in  values  which  Cochin  oil  has  recently 
displayed.  Spot  stocks  are  under  the  control  of  strong 
holders,  and  natural  conditions  tend  to  strengthen 
the  firm  views  now  entertained  by  them.  lit  fact, 
it  is  pointed  out  that  quotations  in  this  market  on 
Cochin  oil  are  lower  than  the  import  value  of  the 
article,  and  that  the  tendency  on  the  coast  is  to 
exact  full  figures.  As  regards  Cochin,  very  little  has 
lately  been  available  for  shipment,  owing,  it  is  stated, 
to  a reduced  production,  and  hence  there  has  been 
an  accumulation  of  this  grade  in  any  of  the  markets  of 
the  world.  On  the  first  of  January  the  total  stock  of 
coconut  oil  in  London  was  only  594  tons,  but  of  this 
only  an  insignificant  proportion  is  supposed  to  be  the 
Cochin  variety,  and  on  the  same  date  the  total  quan- 
tity afloat  from  primary  sources  to  London  was  only 
200  tons,  agaiirst  2,000  tons  at  the  corresponding  time 
in  1895.  A portion  of  the  stock  of  Cochin  to  arrive 
here  was  purchased  at  much  lower  figures  than  those 
now  quotable,  but  as  the  goods  were  taken  on  con- 
tracts by  actual  consunrers  they  will  not  come  upon 
the  market.  From  the  foregoing  there  is  ample 
reason  to  believe  that  prices  for  coconut  oils,  espe- 
cially Cochin,  will  be  characterized  by  uncommon 
firmness  for  some  time  to  come. — Oil  I’aint  and  Bnu/ 
dle-iJorter,  Feb.  3. 
HOW  PEARLS  ARE  GROWN. 
Professor  Stewart’s  lecture  at  the  Royal  Institu- 
tion yesterday  afternoon  was  chiefly  about  the  shell- 
forming habits  of  the  lamellibrauchs,  or  oyster  family. 
The  shell-bearing  molluscs  are  all  endowed  by  Nature 
witli  the  very  valuable  capacity  of  depositing  beauti- 
ful films  of  calcite  or  carbonate  of  lime  from  the  cells 
of  their  soft  cirticle  or  outer  skin.  In  this  way  they 
build  up  their  shells.  The  detailed  structure  of  the 
shell  is  well  worth  studying.  The  layers  of  calca- 
reous matter  nearest  the  cuticle  are  beautifully 
smooth  and  polished,  forming  the  well-known  mother- 
of-peaiT,  known  to  zoologists  as  nacre.  The  depo- 
sit takes  the  form  of  exceedingly  thiir  semi-trans- 
parent films,  and  it  is  from  this  cause  that  the 
beautiful  iridescence  of  nacre  arises,  lirow'ster  many 
years  ago  thought  he  had  proved  conclusively 
that  this  iridescence  was  due  to  extremely  fine 
lines'  on  the  surface,  because  a cast  taken  of  the 
mere  in  wax  exhibited  the  same  iridescence.  Pro- 
fessor Stewart  mentioned  that  ho  had  repeated 
Brewster’s  experimeirt,  and  found  that  the  iridescence 
of  the  wax  was  due  to  fine  films  of  nacre 
adhering  to  it.  It  may  now  be  taken  for  granted 
that  the  nacre  films  produce  what  are  known  as 
“interference”  effects  in  diffracting  light  and  give 
rainbow  tints  on  the  same  principle  as  Newton’s  rings 
and  soap-bubbles.  The  usual  source  of  pearls  found 
within  the  oyster  appears  to  be  the  intrusion  of 
some  small  foreign  body,  which  sets  up  an  irrita- 
tion of  the  cuticle.  The  only  means  of  defence 
open  to  the  mollusc  is  to  deposit  a layer  of  uacre 
round  the  irritating  particle,  and  thus  cut  it  off 
from  the  soft,  tender  skin.  A grain  of  sand,  a 
small  crustacean,  or  a diatom  may  slip  in  be- 
tweeir  the  lips,  and,  setting  up  irritation,  pro- 
voke the  cuticle  to  deposit  around  it  a scries  of 
thin  films  of  nacre.  These  are  added  to  from  time  to 
time  like  the  skins  of  an  onion,  until  ultimately  the 
little  nucleus  is  completely  encysted  and  a pearl  is  the 
result.  In  this  way  many  curious  deposits  are  to  be 
seen  in  mothcr-of-peari,  for  tlih  oyster  a.ppiies  the 
same  remedy  to  all  sorts  of  foreign  bodies,  of  what- 
ever character  they  may  be.  Thus  Professor  Stewart 
has  even  seen  little  fish  embedded  in  the  nacre.  The 
Chinese  with  their  ingenious  habit  of  turning  natural 
phenomena  to  account,  have  takim  advantage  of  this  to 
artificially  excite  the  growth  of  jiearls  in  oysters. 
A favourite  device  is  to  insert  an  H-shaped  piece  of 
wire  into  the  mantle  border,  by  means  of  which  ordi- 
nary pearl-shaped  pearls  are  produced.  But  the  pro- 
cess is  not  confined  to  producing  ordinary  pearls. 
Larger  objects  are  inserted  and  coated  with  nacre, 
especially  metal  figures  of  Buddha,  which  yield  much- 
prized  copies  in  pearl  of  that  divinity,  generally  used 
as  charms. — DaiUj  Chronicle. 
INDIAN  PATENTS. 
Applications  in  respect  of  the  undermentioned  in- 
vention have  been  filed,  under  the  provisions  of  Act 
V.  of  1888. 
For  Ijii'rovements  in  Machinery  or  Appar.atus  por 
Drying  or  Withering  Tea  Leaves. — No.  49  of  1896. 
— Arthur  William  McLeod,  Civil  Engineer,  of  3l' 
Dalhousie  Square,  South,  Calcutta,  for  improvements 
in  machinery  or  apparatus  for  drying  or  withering 
tea  leaves  or  similar  substances. 
For  A Machine  for  Breaking  or  Decorticating  and 
Scutching  Fibrous  Plants. — No.  54  of  1896. — Taylor 
Burrows,  of  83,  Upper  Kennington  Lane,  London, 
engineer,  and  Dick  Edwards  Radclyffe,  of  56,  Glou- 
cester Crescent,  Regent’s  Park,  London,  gentleman 
for  a machine  for  breaking  or  decorticating  and  scutch- 
ing fibrous  plants,  stems  or  straws,  such  as  ramie 
hemp  and  the  like,  throughout  the  length  thereof  at 
one  operation. 
For  an  Invention  for  Automatically  Actuating 
OR  Pulling  Punkahs.— No  55  of  1896.— John  Phillip 
Rundlett,  gentleman,  of  24,  Ripon  Street,  Calcutta, 
for  an  invention  for  automatically  actuating  or  pul- 
ling punkahs  to  be  called  “ Rundlett’s  punkah  motor.” 
For  a Process  and  Machine  for  Husking  Coffee. 
— No.  60  of  1896. — -Thomas  Frederick  Doyer,  of 
Pasoeroean,  in  the  island  of  Java,  inventor  for  a 
process  and  machine  for  husking  coffee. 
The  fees  prescribed  have  been  paid  for  the  con- 
tinuance of  exclusive  privilege  in  respect  of  the 
undermentioned  inventions  for  the  periods  shown 
against  each : — 
For  Improvements  in  tea  Rolling  Machinery. 
No.  81  of  1889. — John  Brown,  of  London,  engineer, 
for  improvements  in  rolling  tea  machinery.  (Frorn 
10th  September  1896  to  9th  September  189'i.) 
For  Machine  for  Hulling  , Cleaning,  and  Polish- 
ing Rice  and  other  Grains, — No.  96  of  1890.— The 
Eiigelberg  Huller  Company,  a corporation  organized 
under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  West  Virginia. 
United  State  of  America,  and  having  its  principai 
place  of  business  at  Syracuse,  in  the  county  of 
Onondaga,  and  state  of  New  York,  United  States  of 
America,  for  machine  for  hulling,  cleaning,  and  polish- 
ing rice  aud  other  grain.  (From  2nd  March  1896  to 
1st  March  1897. — Indian  Engineer. 
THE  CEYLON  TEA  AND  TIMBER 
SYNDICATE 
The  registration  of  the  Ceylon  Tea  and  Timber 
Syndicate,  Limited,  was  applied  for  on  February  3rd, 
by  Messrs.  luce.  Colt  and  Ince,  St.  Beliefs  Chamberi 
I’euchurch  St.,  B.C.,  with  a capital  of  £‘3,000  in  ,£100 
shares.  Object,  to  enter  into  an  agreement  with  BlI. 
J.  C.  Roberts  and  to  carry  on  the  business  of  tea 
pLanters  and  exporters  in  all  its  branches.  Registered 
office,  4 Guildhall  Chambers,  E.C.  The  signatories 
are: — Aithur  Washington  Rowe,  Dashwood  House 
E.C.;  Alfred  Ledgard  Hutchison,  4,  Guildhall  Chambers’, 
E,C.;  William  A.  K.  Gostling,  13,  Herbert  Crescent, 
S.W.;  John  George  Wylie,  19,  Surrey  Street,  Strand’ 
Richard  W.  Roberts,  St.  George’s  Club,  W.;  John 
Dunham  Massey,  Broad  St.  House,  E.C.:  George 
Brace  Cold,  St.  Beliefs  Chambers,  E.C. 
n F A F M P Q Q de.scril)ing  a really 
L/Lni  liLUOi  genuine  Cure  for  Deafne.ss, 
Ringing  in  Ears,  &c.,  no  matter  how  severe  or  lon-rl 
tamling,  will  lie  sent  post  free.-— Artificial  Ea“. 
srums  and  simil.ar  appliances  entirely  .sniierseded* 
Address  THOMAS  IvEMI’E,  VTcToniA  CiiamI 
BKits,  19,  Southampton  Buildings,  Holbokn  > 
London,  * * 
