July  I,  1896.] 
THE  TROPICAL  AGRICULTURIST. 
45 
quality.  This  mixing  impairs  the  reputation  of 
Japanese  tea,  and  shouUl  be  positi\ely  discon- 
tinued. Mr.  Otani  is  not  sanguine  that  Ja))an- 
ese  mendiants  c.an  for  some  time  to  come  lire 
and  pack  teas  for  foreign  export,  seeing  liow 
much  improvement  is  needed  in  the  earlier 
stages.  Nor  could  they  hope  to  obtain  the 
credit  that  is  given  to  foreigners  by  tlieir  clients 
in  the  West,  to  which  diliiculty  must  be  added 
the  fact  that  they  are  very  inditt'erenb  judges 
of  Western  taste. — Japan  Weeldy  Mail,  May  2, 
EUCALYPTUS. 
The  uses  to  which  eucalyptus  may  be  applied  are 
many,  some  of  which  are  but  little  known.  It  is  a 
genus  of  trees  of  the  natural  order  of  Myrtacae,  and 
nearly  all  are  indigenous  to  Australia,  where  they 
are  called  “gum  trees”  or  “ stringy  bark  trees,”  from 
their  gummy  or  resinous  products.  But  the  tree  mostly 
favored  is  eucalyptus  globulus,  and  is  now  very  fami- 
liar in  Europe,  having  been  of  late  years  extensively 
cultivated,  especially  in  the  Mediterranean  region. 
But  it  was  not  introduced  there  until  the  year  IS.'SG, 
when  seeds  v/ere  sent  to  Paris.  Now  it  may  be  met 
with  in  various  parts  of  England,  as  visitors  to  Corn- 
wall can  testify,  for  it  is  only  in  such  a locality  that 
it  is  able  to  grow  without  shelter.  This  tree  has  a 
specially  high  reputation  as  a hygienic  agent  in  damp, 
unhealthy  and  malarious  situations,  and  has,  therefore, 
been  planted  in  many  parts  of  Europe.  Its  value  has 
been  alternately  ascribed  tc  the  antiseptic  action  of 
its  camphorlike  odors  and  to  its  rapid  growth,  which 
sometimes  exceeds  ten  feet  per  annum,  and  the  con- 
sequent drainage  of  the  soil  through  the  enormous 
transpiration  from  the  leaf  surfaces. 
Since  the  year  1870,  when  the  tree  was  planted  in 
its  cloisters,  the  Monastery  of  St.  Paolo  a la  tre 
Fontana  has  become  habitable  throughout  the  year, 
although  situated  in  one  of  the  most  fever-stricken 
districts  of  the  Roman  Campagna.  This  property 
of  destroying  the  maisma  of  marshy  localities  might 
be  made  use  of  in  many  districts  to  advantage  and  de- 
serves the  attention  of  those  connected  therewith, 
as  it  will  thrive  in  any  situation  having  a mean  an- 
nual temperature  not  belo\v  60  degrees  F'.,  and  it 
will  not  endure  a temperature  of  less  than  27  degrees 
F.  The  leaves  are  the  part  mostly  used  in  medi- 
cine, although  they  are  not  c f&dal  in  the  Biitish 
Pharmacopoeia. 
The  .principal  constituent  of  the  leaves  is  a vola- 
tile oil,  which  may  be  readily  obtained  by  distilla- 
tion with  water.  When  used  for  me dicinal  purposes 
the  narrow  leaves  should  boused,  which  are  obtained 
from  the  full-grown  tree,  these  being  more  efficacious 
than  the  broader  ones,  which  are  common  to  the 
younger  plants.  The  fresh  leaves  are  also  more 
active  than  those  that  are  dried.  When  fresh,  they 
possess  a bitter,  pungent,  camphoraceous  taste,  and 
the  oil  has  a similar  flavor  and  peculiar  odour,  more 
so  than  the  leaves.  When  fresh,  it  has  a yellow 
color,  but  it  becomes  brown  and  resembles  resin  by 
exposure  to  air;  this  appearance  should  serve  as  a 
test  when  purchasing.  Oils  obtained  from  other 
species  are  largely  used  in  perfumery  and  for  the 
making  of  varnishes,  and  for  such  purposes  the  color 
is  not  so  much  an  object.  As  these  essential  oils 
are  of  daily  increasing  importance,  their  various 
characteristics  should  be  observed  and  noted.  The 
features  of  the  chief  are  as  follows ; 
The  oil  of  E.  amygdalina,  is  thin,  pale  yellow, 
pungent,  lemon-like  odour,  specific  gravity  0.881  at 
15  degrees  (59  degrees  F.).  becomes  resinous  in  air. 
This  oil  is  used  in  medicine,  disinfecting  and  perfumery. 
E.  oleosa  is  thin  fluid,  pale  yellow,  mild,  and  has 
a turpentine  flavor,  mint-like  odor;  specific  gravity 
0.911. 
,E.  goniocalyx,  pale  yellow  color,  pungent,  penetrat- 
ing, disagreeable  odor,  very  unpleasant  flavor ; speci- 
fic gravity  0.818.  E.  globulus  already  noted;  this  is 
the  kind  more  frequently  used  medicinally. 
E.  citriodora. — This  kind  forms  a good  cosmetic. 
E.  dumosa  is  an  excellent  kind  for  oil  and  spirit 
varnishes.  The  exudation  from  the  bark  and  leaves 
of  this  species  is  often  gathered  by  the  natives  from 
the  ground  beneath  the  trees,  on  which  it  lies  like 
hoar  frost;  this  i.s  used  by  them  as  food.  E. 
mannifeia  is  also  a sweet  exudation  from  the  bark 
and  leaves,  and  comes  into  commerce  as  eucalyptus 
manna  and  resembles  genuine  manna,  which  is  non- 
purgative and  is  sold  as  a sweetmeat  in  many  parts 
of  Southern  Europe,  especially  in  Sicily  and  Calabria. 
There  are  many  other  kinds  of  eucalyptus  which 
find  their  way  into  the  market,  but  those  named 
are  the  more  important. 
The  properties  of  the  leaves  depend  upon  the  vola- 
tile oil,  some  one  or  other  of  the  alkaloids  of  cin- 
chona barks,  but  experiments  have  gone  to  show 
that  no  such  quality  exists  to  any  appreciable  degree. 
The  leaves  have  been  largely  used  in  the  treatment 
of  intermittent  fever,  especially  in  Australia,  where 
they  have  long  had  a popular  reputation.  They 
have  also  been  used  as  a stimulant  and  anti-spas- 
modic. The  tincture  and  other  preparations  of  the 
leaves  have  been  found  useful  in  bronchitis ; and 
in  the  form  of  cigarettes  the  leaves  have  been  smoked 
with  good  results,  in  cases  of  asthma,  whooping 
cough  and  such  like  complaints.  The  leaves  have 
also  been  used  as  a new  method  of  dressing  wounds 
in  the  place  of  lint.  They  are  simply  laid  on  the 
wounds,  and  it  is  said  that  their  balsamic  nature 
not  only  cures,  but  removes  all  unpleasant  odor. 
An  excellent  disinfectant  may  be  made  from  1 to  4 
ounces  of  oil  to  a bushel  of  deal  sawdust.  The  oil 
is  also  useful  in  rheumatism,  and  can  be  employed 
for  inhalation  in  bronchial  and  throat  affection,  one- 
half  to  one  teaspoonful  being  added  to  half  a pint 
of  water.  The  bark  is  said  to  have  similar  proper- 
ties to  the  leaves  for  many  medicinal  purposes.  It 
is  also  useful  for  tanning  and  dyeing,  and  may  be 
used  for  the  manufacture  of  paper. 
The  timber  of  the  eucalyptus  generally  is  in  de- 
mand, owing  to  its  durability  and  the  great  power 
it  possesses  in  resisting  the  attacks  of  insects  and 
the  influence  of  moisture.  When  first  worked  it  is 
soft,  but  soon  hardens,  hence  its  great  value.  In 
Italy  a liquor  is  made,  sndis  in  great  request,  while 
eucalyptus  honey  is  said  to  contain  the  valuable 
characteristic  of  the  tree. 
It  is,  however,  with  the  oil  that  we  have  the  most 
to  do,  and  care  should  be  exercised  in  the  purchase, 
as  it  is  subject  to  adulteration,  which  is  difficult  to 
detect. 
As  a general  characteristic  it  should  be  noted  that 
the  genuine  article  is  either  colorless  or  of  a pale 
straw  yellow,  becoming  darker  on  exposure,  aromatic 
odor,  a pungent,  spicy  taste,  leaving  a sensation  of 
coldness  in  the  mouth,  neutral  to  litmus  paper,  sp. 
gr.  averages  nearly  .900,  and  it  is  soluble  in  an  equal 
weight  of  alcohol,  but  the  oils  of  commerce  vary 
somew'hat  as  to  their  specilic  gravity,  according  to 
their  botanical  source;  with  this  exception,  the  other 
characteristics  may  be  relied  upon. — British  and  Colo- 
nial Bmggist. 
SPRING  VALLEY  COFFEE  CO.,  LD. 
We  call  attention  to  the  annual  Report  of  the 
Directors  of  this  good  old  “ Coffee”  Company, 
— one  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Brown’s  creations  as 
a Limited  Coni])any  for  the  leading  Uva  planta- 
tion some  thirty-three  years  ago  and  which  long 
had  a career  of  great  prosperity.  Then  came 
the  dark  days  of  “coffee”  ami  the  “Spring 
Valley,’  like  so  many  “coffee”  Coni])anie.s,  fell 
to  a.  rate  below  par  that  made  them  like  a 
drug  in  the  market.  But  it  is  pleasant  to  lind 
that  the  wave  of  pros])erity  which  “tea”  has 
brought,  IS  bringing  nearly  every  old  Ceylon 
Comi>any  once  more  to  the  front.  The  shares  of 
the  Eastern  Estates  ami  Produce  Company,  those 
of  the  Uva  “Coffee”  Comi>any,  and  now  those  of 
the  Spring  ^"alley  “Cotfoe”  Company  are  all 
considerably  above  par,  and  the  report  in  the 
present  case  shows  that  the  last  mentioned 
not  only  earned  a 5 per  cent  dividend  last  year 
but  carries  forward  T2,595  (or  the  equivalent  of 
nearly  2 per  cent)  to  enable  tea  planting  exten- 
