39 * 
THE TROPIOAL AQRIOULTURfST [December i, 1891. 
Tea at tea-time may be grateful and comforlmg 
but tea at luncheon-time or dinner-time is a 
delusion and a snare, Suoh is the sermon which 
the editor of ff'oiiuiii preaches to the gentler and 
more tea-drinking sex. Even as Mr. Uudyard 
Kipling bolds up one of bis heroines to scorn for 
living on " tea and pickles," so this stern monitor 
of the fair asserts that " there is a dis iuot want 
of character and dignity about a lot of women 
seated at marble tables, munuhing dyspepsia- 
provoking plum-cake, and sipping equally unwhole- 
some and more unpalatable tea from thick while 
bowls, facetiously styled teacups." lie adds that, 
" In these days, when women have to think and act 
for themselves, they must fortify their oouslitutions," 
a purpose clearly dilUcult of attainment by means 
of bath buns and scones. After this eloquent 
denunciation of these staple articles of feminine diet 
it seems almost like an anti-climax to read that 
" It is not necessary that a woman should eat a big 
rump steak, or drink a bottle of claret or a tankard 
of ale in the middle the day." — Daily Graphic, 
Oct. 15. 
An ExniBtT FOB the “ Wobld's FArn,” Ciiioaoc. 
—The Foristry Division cf the United States is 
preparing an exhibit for the Columbian Exposition 
—or " World’s Pair at Chicago, in 1893, and 
will endeavour to obtain models or samples of the 
different forms of metal ties— sleepers — which arc 
in actual use, in order to show, what is not very 
generally understood, that the question of the use 
of metal track is no longer an experimental one in 
other countries. Apart from minor experiments, 
two systems are now being given careful trial— the 
Hartford steel lie on the New York Central and 
Hudson Biver Railroad, and the Standard steel lie 
on the Delaware and Hudson Railroad, the 
Philadelphia and Reading Railroad, and the Chicago 
and Western Indiana Railroad. The former is an 
inverted trongh, with a groove along the top, and 
having the ends curved down. The latter is a 
channel with the open side uppermost, the bottom 
out away at the middle and bent upwards,' and a 
block of compressed wood under each rail. Both 
have bolt fastenings. A third system, the Morrell 
steel tie, somewhat similar to the Standard, is to 
be tried on two toada,— Indian Engineer. 
Tea and Coeeek Impobts at Amsterdam.— Consul 
Robinson reports upon the Trade and Navigation of 
the Fort of Amsterdam during the year 1890 as 
follows i—t'o/Tee. — The total importation of oofloe in 
1890 was slightly larger than in ti e previous year, 
although the entire failure of the Java crop caused 
a great dclioienoy in the shipments from the Dutch 
East Indies. This was, however, made up tor by an 
incronaed supply of other descriptions, principally of 
Bantos, the importation of which was nearly double 
that of 1889. The price of Java coffee rose, with 
some iluotnalion, from 9Jd per lb. in January to 
lOjjd per lb. in November, closing end of December 
at lOd per lb. The production of Governmont cotlfeo 
in Java showed a most remarkable deoreaso since 
1881, when the quantity offered for sale through tho 
Netherlands Trading Company was 913,881 bags, 
dwindling to 4-16,490 bags in 1890; the 1891 crop 
will probably not exceed 350,000 bales. Speoulativo 
tranaaotions were limited, and the Amsterdam 
clearing ollioo reports a turn over of 978,600 bales 
(762,600 Santos, and 216,000 Java), as compared 
with 1,160,260 bales in 18S9. Tfu.— Chinese tea 
continues gradually to disappear from our market, 
tho total importation being 6,293 quarter obcsls, as 
compared with 9,938 in 1889. Tho quality of the 
importations gave general dissatisfaction. Tho con- 
sumption of Java tea, and ospcoially of tho Assam 
sorts grown in Java continues to increase. Prices, 
especially of tho better sorts, improved eomowhat 
during the year. — L, and C, Expreu, 
Op the Java Coffee Crop estimated at 380,596 
pikuls ; 374,569 pikuls have been received at the 
Government local storehouses and 35,629 pikuls have 
reached the shipping ports.— S. E. Frees, Oot. 29ih. 
Coconut Flantinq in Thcrsdax Island. — The 
Torres Straits Pilot of 3rd Oot. says ; — 
-'’Iv- Armitage, the gentleman who is engaged by 
the Queenslaud OovorniLent to plant oocount trees, 
bus arrived. He will probably make a orniae in the 
Clutter “ Lizzie Jardiup," during which he will plant 
m«ny hundred young oooonuta on tho ialaud.s in 
Torres Straits. The trees in future years will provo 
of great value, espeoislly in these waters ; and it is 
sincerely hoped the majority of them will thrive well. 
PaERocAiu'ua Indiccs. — In the extract you pub- 
lished the other day about the timber from this 
tree, reference was made to its fine dark color. 
I have several pieces of furniture some years old 
made from one of the trees which grew in Slave 
Island, and it is a very .light color and does not 
turn BO dark as satin wood with age. It is a 
beautiful olosc-grained wood and takes a good 
polish. — Cor. [It is possible that, as in the oaso 
of many other tree, tho root portion of the tree 
may be dark-coloured ? — Ed T. A.] 
Fit for Euf.n. — Among cultivated fruit, ono stands 
ns yet unrivalled for its neauty, aroma, and deliciona 
flavour. Singulai^ enougli, however, not ovou Her 
Majesty, though Empress of the vast realm in which 
it is grown, has tasted it. Imagine a lingo hiurtl, 
witli leaves somewhat narrow, bloBSOiiis like a single 
rose, and lomou-shapod fruit of the colour of a ripe 
apricot — a rosy hue apparent through tho primrose 
aiul gold. Tho fiesh is rose-coloured. Bo delicious 
is it—Bucli subtle comniingling of refreshing juices, 
siihacid and sweet, that even tho dying will eat it 
greedily — one can see, as old Anglo-Indians speak of 
it, that oven tho rominisoenco is a pleasure, making 
the mouth water. Such is a brief description of the 
Maryostcen or Mai-yostana.* Only twice lias it boon 
u-uited, in a strong moist heat, in England— once at 
SionHonse, tho Duke of NothumbcrlamVs, and about 
1%(5 at Ilooley Hill, neai- Croodon by Mr. Miuidoll, 
of Moorpark Gardena. 
Jaffna Tobacco and the Govsknmentof Tbavan- 
coue. — The “Hindu Organ” states that tho Government 
of tho Native Slate of 'I'ravancoro “ has promuigsted 
a new Order, if not with the view of driving away 
tho Jaffna tob«cco from the Travancoro mar kef , cer- 
tainly, with tho object of specially encouraging tho 
consumption of the Coimba'ore tobacco in that State. 
By virtue of the Order in quoition Coimbatore to. 
Daccooan now be sold in all parts of Truvaiicore, 
payirig a duty of oaly 1130 per Candy, competing with 
the Jaffna protuct still subject to the levy of R90 
per Candy. To all outward appearance, wo arn in- 
formed, the duty on both kinds of tobacco is still the 
same, but prnctically the one kind of tobacco is made 
to compete with the other with a difference of R60 
m the Government duty.” “ Intelligence lias been 
received here from Travaucore that the quantity of 
Jaffna tobacco soltl in the sevtrsl Governmont Baiik- 
elialls there have been monthly decreasing, since tlio 
now Urder has conic into force, although sold at a 
coiiBidorauly low price lo keep puce with its rival. 
Great depressiou consequntly jirevails in tho .fuffiia- 
Travancoro tobacco trade.” “ We have before us copy 
(It a respeclfnl but earnest and closely reasoued me- 
nional addressed (o llis Highness, tho Maharajah of 
Iravancoro, by tl e merchants of Jaffna, poiiitiug out 
the injustice and impolicy of encouraging tho tobacco 
"i '*■*' the expellee of that of another, 
which had been boHi for a century or eo, treated 
with equal favour ; and praying that tho new order 
cnmplamed of may bo rcsoindod.” 
■ eii course, lor ■ivii 
‘ Mangostana.’ The description of th 
does not accord with fact.— Ed. 2 ’. . 1 . 
tho truit, heiwever. 
