282 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



CULTIVATION OF THE CINCHONA-TREE IN ALGIERS. 



The British government has, it is well known, been very- 

 successful in cultivating the cinchona plant in its colonies, 

 and it is now stated that a similar experiment has been made 

 by the French in Algiers with equally satisfactory results. 

 The plants were reared in a hot-house in France, and the 

 soil kept uniformly and moderately damp, this appearing to 

 be one of the conditions essential to success. As the heat of 

 the sun became more powerful the development was more 

 rapid, especially in those plants nearest the glass. About 

 the end of June the plants were transferred to the open air, 

 and remained exposed to the sun until the end of September, 

 when they were taken to Algeria, where they are said to be 

 now doing well. 2 A, August 6, 88. 



CULTIVATION OF THE CINCHONA-TREE IN JAMAICA. 



In view of the fact that the cinchona-tree, from which Pe- 

 ruvian bark and quinine are obtained, is becoming rapidly ex- 

 terminated in South America, in consequence of the reckless 

 manner in which the bark is gathered, it is gratifying to learn 

 that the efforts of the British government to cultivate the 

 plant artificially in its colonies are meeting with so much 

 success. Large plantations are now profitably cultivated in 

 India and Ceylon, and we learn that the experiment in Ja- 

 maica, lately commenced, has proved entirely satisfactory. 

 The plants were first introduced into that island in 1866, and 

 had increased to such an extent by the close of 1867 that it 

 became necessary to set them out on a large scale. For this 

 purpose six hundred acres were prepared in the Blue Moun- 

 tains, at an elevation above the sea of from four thousand to 

 six thousand feet, where the soil is said to be admirably adapt- 

 ed to the requirements of the plant. Forty acres were first 

 cleared and filled with the cinchonas in the course of a year, 

 about twenty thousand plants, of five different species, being 

 set out. These are said to have stood one of the dryest sea- 

 sons ever known on the island without suffering in the least, 

 and there seems to be no doubt that the plant can be success- 

 fully reared in Jamaica. 17 A, July, 99. # 



