SePt.  I,  1896.] 
THE  TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
155 
THE  HANKOW  TEA  SEASON 
“ Wet  weather  has  seriously  affected  the  first 
crop  teas,  as  regards  both  quality  and  quantity.” 
Chestnut. 
From  distant  Hankow  goes  the  groan 
That  the  first  crop  is  damaged  by  rain  : 
So  well  may  the  poor  chaasze  moan, 
As  grows  dimmer  his  castle  in  Spain, 
As  he  traverses  Yangtze’s  fair  vale 
A voice  that  is  small,  still  and  low 
Gently  whispers  “No  longer  bewail: 
Solve  the  question  of  weather  or  no  ” - 
Then  into  his  tea  room  he  dives. 
Infuses  his  musters  with  care. 
And  hopefully,  manfully  strives 
To  discover  the  pekoe  that’s  there- 
in vain  for  the  flavour  of  old 
He  searche-i,  but  finds  it’s  no  go  : 
An  aroma  of  graveyard  and  mould 
Leaves  no  question  of  weather  or  no— 
Yet  he  ina^es  the  tea  strong  in  the  cup. 
Free  from  dust,  and  well  twisted  the  leaf. 
The  discovery  quite  bucks  him  up 
As  he  throws  off  a sigh  of  relief — 
His  orders,  he  finds,  “ bid  him  pause 
Distinctly  they  say  “Sure  and  slow;’’ 
Yet  in  them  is  no  saving  clause 
On  the  question  of  weather  or  no. 
But  the  ice  now  once  broken,  he  goes 
Imbued  with  the  spirit  of  fun. 
Overboard  his  clear  orders  he  throws. 
And  settles  a daisy  Keemun. 
Then  follow  some  tarry  Lylings, 
And  Oon.ams  of  a qu.ality  low  : 
He  smiles  as  he  gleefully  sing.s 
llegardless  of  weather  or  no. 
Then  he  ships  a nice  fi-owsy  Ningchow, 
And  some  slightly  Oopacky  Oopacks, 
Follows  suit  with  a rosy  Ilohow, 
Which  consignees’  pockets  may  tax  : 
He  works  just  a bit  with  the  view 
That  the  dearer  lots  back  he  may  throw, 
.So  that  when  his  inspecting  is  through 
He’s  prepared  to  face  weather  or  no. 
Furious  and  fast  is  the  race. 
The  speed’s  far  too  hot  to  last  long. 
The  export  goes  creeping  apace 
And  still  he  is  gamy  it  strong. 
The  oof  bird  which  lays  eggs  of  gold. 
We  are  killing  as  fast  as  we  know. 
Our  shipments  are  bound  to  be  sold, 
In  spite  of  the  weather  or  no. 
But  in  London  the  stuff  is  received 
By ‘our  friends  with  a look  of  despair; 
“How  could  you  thus  us  have  deceived 
With  cables  and  promises  f.air? 
Your  teas  the  Trade  scarce  deign  to  taste, 
But  despite  your  loud,  jubilant  crow. 
We  .shall  quit  them  with  leporine  haste. 
And  whether  you  like  it  or  no  ! ! " 
—.V.  C.  Herald,  June  26. 
INDIAN  PATENTS. 
Whereas  the  inventors  of  the  undermentioned  in- 
ventions have  respectively  falfed  to  pay  the  prescribed 
fees,  it  is  notified  that  the  exclusive  privilege  of 
making,  selling,  and  using  the  said  inventions  in  British 
India  and  of  authorising  others  so  to  do  has  ceased : — 
Improvements  in  and  connected  with  the  process 
OF  EXTRACTING  COCOA.— No.  343  of  1891. — Messrs.  E.  O. 
Moser  & Co.’s  invention  for  improvements  in  and 
connected  with  the  process  of  extracting  cocoa  or 
rendering  it  soluble  for  the  preparation  of  soluble 
cocoa  or  the  manufacture  of  cocoa  powder,  chocolate 
and  the  like  preparations.  (Specification  filed  31st 
March  1892.)— Indian  and  Eastern  Engineer,  July  18. 
ANNUAL  REPORT  OF  THE  ROYAL 
BOTANIC  GARDEN,  CALCUTTA, 
FOR  THE  \EAR  1895-96. 
No.  16G,  dated  Royal  Botanic  Garden,  Sibpur,  the 
12th  M^  1896. 
From — Brigade-Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel  George 
Kii  g,  M B.,  LL.D.,  F.L  s.,  F.R.S.,  C.I.E.,  Superintendent, 
Royal  Botanic  Garden,  Calcutta, 
To—  The  Secretary  to  the  Government  of  Bengal, 
Financial  Department. 
I have  the  honour  herewith  to  submit  the  109th 
Annual  Report  of  the  Royal  Botanic  Garden,  Calcutta. 
The  weather  of  the  official  year  1895-98.  was  remark- 
able for  the  great  dryness  of  the  months  from  Octo- 
ber to  March.  Not  only  did  the  rainy  season  end 
prematurely,  but  the  showers  which  are  not  unusual 
about  the  beginning  of  January  entirely  failed  this 
year,  and  there  was  not  a single  storm  from  the  north- 
west. The  result  of  this  excessive  dryness  on  the 
plants  growing  out  of  doors  has  been  disastrous.  In 
spite  of  all  efforts  in  the  way  of  artificial  watering, 
many  small  plants  have  died  ; and  many  trees,  even 
of  large  size,  will  be  disfigured  by  the  loss  of  branches 
which  have  withered.  The  excessive  dryness  of  the 
air  during  the  few  weeks  when  the  majority  of  the 
orchids  came  into  bloom  had  the  double  effect  of 
reducing  the  size  of  these  beautiful  flowers,  and  of 
hastening  their  withering.  The  flowering-trees 
out  of  doors  were  also  stimulated  into  put- 
ting out  unusually  lai^e  numbers  of  blossoms 
of  smaller  size  than  usual.  The  solitary  benefit 
derived  from  the  drought  was  that  the  water 
in  the  Garden  lakes  fell  so  low  that  it  was  possible, 
by  cutting  some  of  them  off  from  the  supply  of  water 
lifted  from  the  river  by  the  steam-pump,  to  run 
them  quite  dry,  and  thus  to  obtain  from  their  beds 
a quantity  of  earth  which  will  be  of  great  use  in 
raising  the  levels  of  numerous  roads  which  are 
much  in  want  of  being  heightened.  Chief  amongst 
such  roads  is  the  avenue  leading  from  the  river  en- 
trance to  the  Banyan  tree.  This,  which  is  more  than 
a third  of  a mile  long,  is  one  of  the  most  prominent 
in  the  Garden.  Towards  the  middle  of  it  the  level 
sinks,  so  that  the  roadway  is  below  the  surround- 
ing ground.  This  dejiression  not  only  produces  an 
unpleasing  effect,  but  it  forms  a cup  in  which  water 
freely  collects  during  the  rains.  By  means  of  the 
earth  recovered  from  the  lakes  near  the  road,  I 
hope,  during  the  year  now  entered  upon,  greatly 
to  improve  this  avenue,  as  well  as  the  ground  on 
each  side  of  it.  During  the  year  the  Dyer  and 
Falconer  Avenues  had  their  levels  raised  and 
were  repaired,  the  soling  bricks  and  burnc-brick 
metal  required  for  the  purpose  having  as  usual  been 
made  within  the  Garden.  With  the  relaying  of  the 
two  avenues  just  mentioned,  the  eastern  half  of  the 
Garden  has  now'  been  well  supplied  with  good  roads. 
Much,  however,  still  remains  to  be  done  in  the 
western  half,  The  Banyan  avenue  will  probably  be 
taken  in  hand  during  the  current  year,  but  it  will  not 
be  possible  to  do  more.  The  Roxburgh  Avenue 
which  is  in  very  bad  condition  during  the  greater 
part  of  its  length ; the  Thomson  {Avenue,  which  is 
almost  unfit  for  wheeled  traffic  ; and  various  shorter 
roads  will  have  to  lie  over  for  future  occasions 
when  special  grants  of  money  can  be  spared. 
During  the  cold  weather  the  new  road  running, 
from  the  Shalimar  Point  to  the  garden  was  opened 
for  traffic  by  the  Public  Works  Department ; 
and,  with  its  opening,  people  coming  to  the  Garden 
by  land  began  to  enter  it  by  a gate  which  was  pre- 
viously but  little  used.  Anticipating  this  change, 
I had  for  some  years  back  been  improving  the 
Garden  in  the  neighbourhood  of  that  gate.  During 
the  current  year  the  final  touches  were  put  upon 
that  part  of  the  Garden,  and  it  is  now  one  of  the 
prettiest  spots  within  its  boundaries.  The  gate  itself 
is  however  rather  mean  and  small,  and  a larger 
one  ought  to  be  provided  as  soon  as  funds  per- 
mit. A year  or  two  ago  the  platform  on  which 
Kyd’s  Monument  stands  was  paved  with  marble, 
Sir  Charles  Elliott  having  made  a special 
rant  of  money  for  the  purpose.  Last  year, 
y a similar  grant,  marble  steps  to  the  platform 
were  provided  in  supersession  of  the  forme  cemented 
ones.  No  buildings  were  erected  in  the  Garden  dur- 
ing the  year.  I had  hoped  to  have  been  able  to 
build  a new  plant-house  in  the  Nursery,  but  funds 
were  not  sufficient.  Such  a house  ought  to  be  put 
in  hand  as  soon  as  possible.  A glass-roofed  house 
for  the  display  of  ferns  is  still  also  one  of  the  desi- 
derata of  the  Garden.  Few  ferns  thrive  well  in  the 
grass-roofed  conservatories  which  have  proved  so 
perfectly  suitable  fororchids,  palms,  ptbei:  plaots. 
