April  i,  1896.]  THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST.  7 >9 
It  will  be  seen  that,  coupled  with  the  immunity  that 
it  seems  to  enjoy  fi'om  leaf-disease  “ wild  coffee  ” ap- 
pears to  have  a future  of  some  importance  before  it. 
We  are  taking  steps  to  procure  samples  of  the  ripo 
seed  to  send  home  for  report  and  valuation,  but 
judging  from  the  high  favour  the  sweet  pulp  is  hold 
in  by  those  inveterate  coffee  thieves,  monkeys  and 
birds,  we  are  somewhat  doubtful  when  we  shall 
obtain  them.  A letter  emphasizing  this  difficulty 
will  be  found  in  our  correspondence  columns : even 
tying  muslin  bags  round  the  fruit,  usually  an  effec 
tual  method  of  preservation,  was  found  to  be  of 
no  use. 
D.  sphvrocaijjus  is  found,  by  the  way,  on  the 
higher  ranges  of  the  Western  Ghauts,  all  the  way  from 
Bombay  southwards. — Planting  Opinion,  March  28. 
A CUP  OF  TEA. 
Has  any  one  the  least  idea  of  the  modern  uses  of 
tea  ? In  the  days  of  our  childhood  a lesson  of  tea 
was  easily  got  by  heart.  We  read  that  the  tea  plant 
grew  in  China,  and  at  certain  set  times  the  leaves 
were  gathered  by  the  natives  thereof,  who  after  drying 
and  rolling  them,  exported  them  for  use  as  a bever- 
age to  our  own  and  other  countries.  That  was  all, 
or  about  all  we  had  to  remember  on  the  subject. 
Here  and  there  some  old  bachelor  dominie  might 
add  a few  exhortations  of  his  own  on  the  proper 
way  of  preparing  tea,  how  important  it  was  to  see 
that  the  kettle  boiled,  and  how  the  teapot  ought  to 
stand  at  least  fifteen  to  twenty  minutes’  “drawing” 
on  the  hob. 
Nowadays  we  have  changed  all  that.  W'e  no  longer 
speak  of  “drawing”  tea,  as  though  the  tea-pot  were 
some  special  kind  of  carrier’s  conveyance,  and  we 
are  all  aware  that  the  tea  plant  has  been  success- 
fully introduced  into  many  other  parts  of  the  world 
besides  its  original  Chinese  home.  The  bankrupt 
Ceylon  Coffee  planter  found  in  tea  his  deliverance 
from  all  the  harassments  that  followed  the  appear- 
ance of  the  mysterious  llemaleia  Vastatrix  on  his 
estate,  and  the  Mysore  and  Assam  growers  have 
obtained  a world-wide  reputation. 
So  far  so  good.  But  there  is  a great  deal  more  to  learn 
about  tea  than  that.  When  we  have  finished  our  after- 
noon cup,  and  Mary  Jane  has  emptied  out  tbe  teapot, 
we  are  apt  to  imagine,  if  we  ever  give  the  matter 
a moment’s  thought,  that  the  leaves  it  contained  are 
done  with  when  they  are  thrown  away.  By  the  natural 
process  of  decay,  the  tea  will  be  resolved  into  its 
original  component  parts,  and  as  our  neighbours 
across  the  Channel  s.ay,  “ Voil;\  ” I there  you  are. 
But  not  .so,  dear  reader.  The  tea  has  only,  as  it 
were,  begun  its  career  thon,  and  many  are  the  pro- 
cesses through  which  it  may  yet  have  to  go. 
Tea  refuse  is  highly  valuable,  and  is  turned  into 
account  in  various  ways  as  follows  ; . The  best  of  it 
is  sold  to  be  redried,  and  used  as  tea  again.  In  this 
metamorphosis  it  is  generally  mixed  with  fresh  tea, 
and  resold  at  a cheaper  price.  This  process  may  be 
repeated  as  long  as  it  is  possible  to  delude  any  one 
into  buying  the  adulterated  article, but  by-aud-by  a point 
is  reached  when  no  more  tea,  so  called,  is  to  be  got  out 
of  the  mixture.  In  this  connection  a curious 
fact  may  be  mentioned.  The  old  tea  is  mixed  in  one 
of  its  downward  stages  with  the  sweepings  out  of  the 
tea  chest  after  they  have  been  emptied.  Nails  and 
other  rubbish  are  sometimes  present  in  this  mixture 
in  too  large  proportion  to  be  palatable,  and  to  clear 
these  away  strong  magnets  are  employed,  which 
draw  all  the  iron  at  least  from  the  other  ingredients. 
It  can  hardly  be  supposed  that  any  of  the  tea  drinking 
will  regret  the  loss  of  this  tonic  addition  to  their  cup. 
Then  you  are  done  with  it,  you  say  ? Not  at  all. 
Old  tea  leaves  help  to  make  the  basis  of  those  bever- 
ages, aptly  termed  “suckers,”  first  popular  in  America, 
but  now  in  use  here  also,  drinks  which  are  sucked 
hrough  a straw,  and  the  process  is  so  ingenious  that 
no  one  uninitiated  would,  recognise  in  the  refreshing 
drink  any  reminiscence  of  the  kitchen  tea-pot ; but 
there,  as  wo  are  credibly  informed,  it  is,  for  all  that. 
And  what  after  that?  Well,  the  refuse  left  after 
all  these  operations  was  not  until  recently  con- 
sidered of  any  commercial  value,  but  even  for  it 
some  use  has  been  found.  Old  tea  leaves,  it  seems, 
make  capital  fertiliser,  and  ardent  gardeners  are  now 
using  the  sweepings  of  tea  refuse  in  this  way.  Tea 
leaves  have  long  been  admittedly  useful  helps  to 
the  housemaid.  The  judicious  use  of  them  will 
make  the  dullest  table  glass  shine,  and  we  are  all 
familiar  with  the  sight  of  tea  leaves  sprinkled  over 
the  carpet  before  sweeping,  but  it  is  new  for  the 
gardner  to  make  to  tea  manure. 
How  ever,  if  any  of  the  readers  of  “ The  Presby- 
terian ” are  on  the  outlook  for  a good  and  inexpensive 
compost,  let  them  try  the  effect  of  the  drainings  of 
the  tea-pot.  A sackful  of  tea  leaves  is  the  proper 
quantity  to  start  with,  so  the  amateur  horticulturist 
will  find  his  work  cut  out  for  him  during  the  winter 
months  in  collecting  the  necessary  amount.  Then 
W'hen  the  happy  spring  time  comes,  let  him  sally 
gallantly  out  to  his  back  garden,  bearing  his  sack, 
and  let  him  sprinkle  his  centre  plot  thickly  as  with 
rose  leaves  in  Vallombrosa,  every  brown  tea  leaf  re- 
minding him  of  pleasant  social  half  hours  by  the 
drawing  room  fire.  He  could,  in  fact,  have  the  re- 
mains of  each  individual  tea  fight  on  a separate 
plot  thus,  rearing  to  himself  a sort  of  private  monu- 
ment like  that  of  the  ancient  Egyptians,  on  which 
lie  hidden  sentiments  of  past  ennui  or  enjoyment 
would  be  inscribed.  But  there  is  no  use  in  carrying 
the  point  further.  Everyone  can  see  what  a wealth 
of  ideas  lie  under  the  suggestion,  and  when  the 
garden  blooms  with  gay  and  vigorous  beauty,  the 
gardener  will,  as  he  sips  his  afternoon  tea  out  of 
doors  on  his  lawn,  be  more  than  ever  grateful  for 
the  “ cup  that  cheers  ” not  only  him,  but  his 
garden. 
Such  are  some  of  the  recent  “ wrinkles  ” about 
tea,  and  I think  I have  written  enough  to  show 
that  there  is  more  in  the  tea-pot  than  the  tea-drinker 
always  wots  of. — Presbgterian. 
« 
TEA  IN  AMERICA. 
New  Yore,  Feb.  26. 
Heinaml  is  meagre,  aiul  the  same  dull  con- 
dition and  low'  prices  continues.  It  is  still  a 
buyers’  market  except  on  lines  which  are  scarce. 
Today  at  noon  the  Montgomery  Auction  and 
Commission  Company  will  sell  7,23U  packages, 
viz. ; 1224  half-chests  Moyune  ; 535  half-che.sts  and 
boxes  Pingsuey  ; 20  half-chests  Japan  ; 50  half- 
chests  Japan;  basket-lired  ; .35  half-chests  Japan 
Nibs  ; 903  half-chests  Congou  ; 320  packages  India, 
Java  and  Pekoe  ; 1('57  half-chests  Foochow,  new 
season’s  ; 3,086  half-cliests  and  boxes  Formosa, 
new'  season’s,  including  some  de.sirable  teas. — 
American  Grocer. 
— o 
TEA  IN  AUSTRALIA. 
China  tea  continued  in  demand  at  steady  rates. 
Sales  reported  comprising  800  half-chests  common 
congou  at  up  to  4Jd,  1,400  half-chests  panyong  at 
5d  to  tSd,  600  half-chests  panyong  at  6jd  to  8d,  1,000 
boxes  congou  at  ,5gd,  and  100  quarter-chests  buds  at 
5id.  Of  Ceylons  650  chests  have  been  placed  at 
XJi'iccs  ranging  from  6d  to  Is.  At  auction  on  Tues- 
day a catalogue  of  431  chests  Ceylon  was  disposed 
of,  303  chests  pekoe  at  6d  to  7Jd,  and  128  chests 
pekoe  souchong  at  5id  to  6ild.  At  auction  on  Wed- 
nesday a catalogue  of  3,282  half-chests  and  145 
quarter  chests  China  was  offered.  There  was  a 
good  demand  at  unaltered  rates,  and  sales  were  made 
of  1,805  half-chests  common  congou  to  good  medium 
panyong  at  4d  to  5id,  and  145  quarter-chests  buds 
at  fid  to  5Jd. — Australasian,  March  14. 
nPACMPQQ  es.say  describing  a really 
ULnlnCOOi  genuiiie  Cure  for  Deafne.ss, 
Ringing  in  Ears,  Ac.,  no  matter  how'  severe  or  long- 
taiidiiig,  will  he  .sent  post  free. — Artificial  Ear-, 
slums  and  similar  ai>i>liances  entirely  su[)crscded. 
Address  THUMA8  KEMl’E,  Vkj’I'ORIA  CliAM- 
RKU.S,  19,  EoUTHAMPTON  BUILDINGS,  IIOLBOKN  ; 
London. 
