Jakuary I, •1892,1 
the TROPICAI- AORIOULTUniST- 
SOI 
became known to the public in Ceylon sup- 
plant the “ Standard.” Yea. Wo did not pell any 
more “Stunclards” when this became known. There 
was really only one Standard ” sold in KottUnd f.«r 
Ceylon, We nev. r had any enquiries for the “ Standard” 
when the ** Excelsior ” became known. Ever since I 
took out ibis patent 1 have hud the ezclnsivc use 
of the invention. In 1835 1 considered that my privi- 
lege was interfered with by Mr. Kerr aRaiu»t whom 
I brought an action for infringing my patent in Ceylon 
and I suooeeded in fo far and after that action he 
never interfered with my patent, Sincu that it has 
not been interfered with to any great extont. The 
defendants’ machine is known as Brown's triple 
action roller, and I have seen that machine in action on 
Bearwell estate in Liudula, on Ueufold ia Dikoya, 
and OD the Great Western estate. 1 produce 
the model, I swear that the model bofore me 
is a substantially faithful copy of the Standard.” 
The difference between the model wbioh 1 produce 
of the Excelsior ” and that which the doiendauts 
produce is that in the latter the spindle is plain and 
in the former the spindle U screw cut. In the model 
produced by tbo defenJ>*ate also the bow is fasteued 
to that outer casting, which is according to the 
speciheatiou of patent, and in my model here it is 
fastened to the web of the jacket. Will you explain 
where the triple action roller iufringes your arrange- 
ment of transmitting motiou to the cap through the 
surrounding jacket? AVill you explain to the Judge 
in what respect the defendants* machine com* 
plained of infringes the ExcoKior”? In respect that 
the driving mechanism is coupled to the jacket 
direct. It is on that point that I complain. The 
results flowing from that arrangement are the same in 
the defendants’ machine as in the '* Excelsior.” There is 
free vertical movement of the cap as in the *' Excel- 
sior,” the only differerenoo being that the manipulation 
is by a lever instead of a screw and out as in my 
model and in actual practice. In the specification it is 
worked by a pulley and chain for which I have sub- 
stituted the meohaiiioal equivalent of a screw and nut. 
Another result of adopting my arrangement is that one 
is able to f<;ed ths tea uuderaeath in the triple action 
roller just as in my mAchino; also the lower edge of 
the jacket comes down to tho lower table but does not 
rest ou it. Tbo carriage of the ji^nket is just froo of 
the lower table. These results flow from naturally 
from mv arrangement. Without that arrangement they 
cannot do produced ; the productiou of the^e robulta 
required the invention of that arrangement. If you 
pass a pencil through the jacket of tho triple action 
roller and place a sheet of paper on the lower table a 
true circle will be produced just as in my machine. 
I produce in^ evidence a certified copy of the letters 
patent, a certified copy of the Bpscification. 
This concluded tho evidence; and as was in*>ntioned 
yesterday the further hearing of the case was 
adjourned till 28th January. Mr. lirowue slated that 
his cross-examination of Mr. Jackson might last about 
three hours and Mr. Withers said that he had three 
or four scientific witnesses and formal evidouoe that 
the machine was used. Mr. Browne laughingly re- 
marked that this was a case that was going to the 
Pnyy Council in the ond. 
(Tq he Qondnucih) 
BOTANY OF TUB FMIN BELIEF 
expedition. 
Tho botanical exploration of Tropioal Africa loavec 
so taaoh to desire that it was somewhat disappoint- 
to find that Mr. Stanley brought noth ng back 
which would Rive any idea of tbo nature of the dense 
torosts which ho traversed. Tho conditions under which 
such an expedition is nocossarily executed make natural 
tustory-collecting extremely difficult. Travellers, how- 
ever, often suppose that hecanao they cannot make 
oxieuaivo oolleotious they can do uo'tliuig to add to 
our knowledge. Yet to fill a small porttulio with 
““'I significant specimens is not a very 
Oittioult matter, And these may often furnish the 
basis of useful and important oonolusions as to tho 
general nature of the flora. Sir Joseph Hooker was 
able to Rive the first nocoaut of the vrgelatiou of 
Kilimai.jara from a small parcel of plants cotleoted 
by a mission iry, the Rev. Mr. New, who was sup- 
plied for the purpose by Sir John Kirk, with “ a 
bundle of old Ouardians.” An officer of the Ashanti 
Expedition brought from Comassi the frnit of what 
proved to be a new species of Duhoseia. And quite 
lately Lord LamioRtun s-nt to Kew a small parcel of 
plants oolleoted by himself in an expedition tbrongh 
the Shan States, which oontamed good speoimens 
of nn interesting plant only known previously from 
imperfect .uaterial collected by Griffiih. It has now 
been worked out and figured in the Kew “ Iconea 
Flanlarum.” 
Nur ia it so dififioult as it might ho supposed 
to do even more than this. And 1 am not euro 
that a little careful aud iutelligent plant-collecliug 
would not be a healthy and nseful distraction to the 
tedium and strain of an arduous jouruey. Nothing 
could probably exceed the dilfioaltics undor whioh 
Jo.eph Thomson travelled in Masailaud ; yet ho 
mauaged, uotaitbatauding, to get togelber a toler- 
ably extensive and most valuable botanical collection. 
Upou this Sir Joseph Hoiker was able to base 
tbo first attempt at a rational theory of tbo geo- 
graphical relations of the high-level flora of Ktstorn 
Equatorial Africa, Nothiug, again, could be more ad- 
mirable than the colleotions made by Brigade-Suraeou 
Aitohiaon when atUcliod to the Kuram Field .^roe 
under Sir Frederick Itoberts in Afgbanislao. And the 
Gaverumont of India baa now arranged — aud it is an 
indication of tho sympathy for soience which animate, 
its members — that, as part of the organization of the 
Botanical Survey of India, a botanist shall lot the fu- 
ture be attached to all frontier expeditions. 
Major Jephaon,* who acoompanied Mr. Stanley, aeems, 
howerer to have had his eyes aboat him. A oorre- 
spoudent has sent me a copy of the October number 
of the Maiifiowtr, a small monthly borticnltural perio- 
dioal published in New York, whioh contains (pp. 165, 
166) a short piper by him ou the " Plants of the Dark 
Alrican lYilderness.'’ This seems to me worth putting 
on reouid in the pages of Xature, where it will be at 
least more accessible for faturo reference. At my 
request, Mr. Baker, the Keeper of the New Uerbatium, 
has bad the paper annotated with such critical com- 
ments as were possible. 
To Major Jephson’s paper Mr. Stanley has prefixed 
a brief introdnetiou, which adds .uuthing of impor- 
tance. He remarks : — 
“ In this branch of science I fancy we were all but 
amateurs, aud considering what very litllo time auy of 
ns could devote Irom the engrossing business of msreh- 
iug, and seeking for food to sustain lifo, fllr. Jephson 
shows what might have been dune by him had citcum- 
staiioes been more favourable.” 
This is, liowever, erriug a little ou the side of mo- 
desty, As 1 have already shown, amateurs can do 
very useful work without much difficulty, if they aro 
contout to du only a little, but to do that little care- 
fully. Some farther observations are open to more 
serious criticism ; — 
“ Africa is yet too young and too crude for tho soien- 
tifle botanist, AYe havo only beeu pioneers to stake 
the highway to make ready for those who shall oomo 
alter us. When the rails have been laid in pairs of iron 
Hues across tho swamp and desert, and tho engined 
boat oleavea the red bosoms of the groat rivers, and 
futrowa the dead green face of tho fresh-water seas, 
thou the tender-nurtured botanist, conveyed from point 
to point without danger to his valuable life, may bo 
trusted, with his enthusiasm and devotion, to bring to 
us results worthy c f soieuoe aud the ago. Of those 
who have given us au insight into tho hotauio treasures 
of the .African world, Sohivernfnth (sic) is by far the 
beat; but ho has aiso lubeuroil ooder such disadvantages 
and disoomforta that he was not able to do for 
Equatorial Africa a lonlh part ot what Uetes did for 
the Amazon.” 
* Mr, J ephson is not a military man : he was a Oeylon 
planter not long ago. -Bd. 2'. A, ^ 
