THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



[Apkil 1, igS4 



had become gradually diminished in volume and regularity. 

 Oaks and Scotch firs were introduced in 1749, and planted 

 at au elevation about 2.000 feet, where they are growing 

 luxmriantly to this day. Numerous acacias, and notjibly the 

 Port Jackson willow, many Oape trees and Australian shrubs, 

 have been e st;iblished, and form the chief vegetation at a 

 mid-elevation. 



Since the time of the East India Company the lands above 

 2,000 feet have been gradually denuded, so that at the present 

 time only inaccessible peaks and steep, precipitous, and rocky 

 slopes, unsuitable for pasturage or for cultivation, remain in 

 natiu-al forest. 



At about 2,000 feet, and down to about 1,500 feet, there is a 

 belt, fairly well mamtained of Australian and Oape trees; but 

 as the tendency of these is to propagate themselves at lower 

 elevations or down the slope of the hills, the upper areas re- 

 main untouched. 



The lauds on the higher slopes, inasmuch as they afford good 

 hay grass, are eagerly sought by farmers, and hence the tend- 

 ency is to extend as much as possible the area under hay grass, 

 and to cut down in every possible locality the indigenous trees. 



I woiUd suggest that a boundary be m"arked from the top of 

 the central ridge, extendmg, say 500 yards down the slope to 

 the northward, and this should be permanently mamtained in 

 forest; and where at present denuded, that it be carefully and 

 systematically replanted. 



This belt might begin at the Old Picquet House, the eastern 

 termination of the central ridge, and extend to the westward, 

 under High Peak, Old Telegraph, Sandy Bay Kidge, Stitches 

 Ridge, the Tliree Peaks, to High Eidge, and Long Ground 

 Ridge. The high road running under the northern slope of 

 the central ridge might form a convenient boundary for this 

 belt; but in cases where it comes close to the ridge, as at Tele- 

 graph and Sandy Bay Eidge, the boundary might fall below 

 the road. 



Latterly, the island has suffered very severely from drought, 

 numerous sprmgs having been almost ihied up. It is probable 

 that such conditions may be repeated, if the process of denu- 

 dation is not immediately stopped, and if the central ridge, 

 where the chief streams of the island take their rise, is not re- 

 clothed with trees. The beds of the streams shoidd also be 

 well shaded by suitable trees to prevent excessive evaporation, 

 and all ponds and reservoirs should be similarly treated. 



It is needless to add that blue gums, or any member of the 

 gemm Eticali/ptus, is very xmsuitahle to plant near .springs and 

 streams. These trees act practically as force pumps; and 

 several instances have come under my notice where springs and 

 small rivTiIets have been dried up by the wondertiU powers of 

 absorption possessed by their roots. 



As the best and most economical means of reforesting the 

 cleuuded slopes of the island woidd be to utilise the niunerous 

 native and foreign trees already yielding large quantities of 

 seed, I append here a hst of the principal trees which may be 

 used for such purposes: — 



Common Name. 



Kei Apple - - - 



Mahoe - - - 



Redwood - - - 

 Margosa - - - 

 Caffre or Red Date 

 Tree Pittosporum 

 Cape Coral Tree - 

 Red Coral Tree - 

 Coral Tree - - - 

 Fhie-leaved Acacia 

 Acacia - - - - 

 Port Jackson "Willow 

 Black Acacia - - 

 Black Boy - - - 

 Mailras Thorn - - 

 Loquat - . - 

 Rose Apple - - 

 Red Gum - - - 

 Blue Gum - - - 

 Indian Almond - 

 Assegai '\^"ood - - 

 Privet or Iron 'Wood 



Scientific Name. 



, Elevation 



I suitable for 



Growth. 



Aberia Caffra, Hook. f. and 



Hakv. - 

 Paritium tiliaceum, St. HiL. 

 Jlelhania erythroxylon. Ait. 

 ^lelia Azedaracli, L. - - 

 Harpephyllum caffrum, Bi;. 

 Pittosporimi uudulatum, \'. 

 Erythriua caffra, Thunh. - 



„ Corallodendron, L. - 

 Schotia, tamarindifolia, Aj-i. 

 Acacia dealbata. Link. 



decurreus, "Willd. - 

 longifolia, Willd. - 

 Albizzia Lebbek, Btft. 



„ lophautha, Bni. 

 Pithecolobium" dulce, W.\ut. 

 Eriobotryu japonica, Lindi.. 

 Eugenia Jambos, L. - 

 Eucalyptus vimiualis. Lab. - 



„ Globulus, Lab. 

 TermiuaUat'afeippa, G.EUTN 

 Cm-tisia fagiuca, Ait. 

 Canthiiuu .sp. 



Mid. 



Lower. 



Mid. 



Lower. 



Mi<l. 



Lower 

 Mid. 



Lower. 

 Mid. 

 Lower. 

 Slid. 



Lower. 

 Mid. 



Mid. and 

 Highest. 



Common Name. 



Purple-fruited Olive 

 White or AYUdOUve 

 True Olive - - - 

 Snail Tree ... 

 Oak - . . . 

 Evergreen Oak - 

 Cork Oak . - - 

 Oasuariua - - - 

 Norfolk Island Pine 

 Brazil Pine- - - 

 Cypress - - . . 

 China Pine- - - • 

 Bermuda Oeder - • 

 Cluster Pine ■ 

 Stone Pine - ■ 

 Cape Yew - ■ 

 Camphor - ■ 



Scientific Name. 



Olea laurif oUa, Lamk. 



Nejiota eUiptica, HooK. F. - 



Olea europtea, L. 



Hakea gibbosa. Cat. - 



Quercus Robur, L. 

 „ Ilex, L. - - - 



„ Suber, L. - . 



Oasuarina equisetif olia 



Araucaria excelsa, E. Be. - 

 „ brasilieusis, Rich. 



Oupressus sempervirens, L. 



Cimninghamia su3ensis,RiCB 



Jxmiperus bermudiana, L. - 

 -{Pinus Pinaster, Ait. - 



- „ Pinea, L. 



- Podocarpuselongata L'Her. 



- Oinuamomum Oamphora. 

 Nees. 



Mid. 



Elevation 



suitable fop 



Growth. 



It will be noticed that most of the trees mentioned above 

 are suitable for mid-elevations, these being the areas which 

 at the time of their introduction, required to be replanted. 

 Since then, however, large areas on the highest lands 

 have been cleared of their indigenous plants, and for these 

 it might be desirable to introduce trees of a hardy eh;iracter 

 and capable of withstanding strong winds. Also in the hot 

 and and dry valleys of Jamestown and Euperst, several 

 valuable trees might be planted, suitable for the conditions 

 which obtain therein. 



For the latter situations, the Divi-divi {Cresalpinia coriaria) 

 the Lignum-vitw {Guaiacmn officiiuile); the Oashaw {Fi-osoj>is 

 julifiora); the West Indian Ebony {Brija Ehemis); and 

 various species of Fictis might be planted to afford shade and 

 shelter, as well as give some returns in economic productions. 



CincJiijim. — The proposal to introduce the cultivation of 

 Cinchona into St. Helena appears to have been made, in the 

 first instance, by the late Dr. Roxburgh, who, as far back as 

 1814, recommended that seeds of Cinchona officinalis be 

 obtained from South America, and that after plant* had 

 been established at St. Helena they should be transmitted to 

 India. 



Sir Joseph Hooker, having on two occasions, namely, in 

 1839 and 1843, had favourable opportunities of forming an 

 opinion respecting tho resources and chmate of St. Helena, 

 when Sir Charles Elliott in 1864 began to develop planting 

 operations in the island by the introduction of new and 

 valuable plants, it occurred to him that Cinchona, if properly 

 tried, was likely to lay the foundations of a remunerative and 

 successful industry. 



To undertake experiments a skilled gardener, BIr. J. H. 

 CSialmers, was sent out from Kew in 1S69, who having been 

 supplied with seeds, succeeded within a short period in raising 

 several thousand Cinchona plants in nurseries at Plantation 

 House. Soon after a nursery was established at Newfound- 

 land (altitude 2,400 feet), in the immediate neighbourhood 

 of the highest peaks and of the only uncleared natural 

 forest remaining in the island. 



Mr. Chalmers succeeded altogether in raising about 10,000 

 plants from seed ; and of these possibly more than one-half 

 were planted out either on the slope above Newfoundland 

 and under Act?eon*s Peak; or, on the Peak itself. 



Thisjportiou of the island, it may be explained, lies along the 

 inclines of the central ridge, of which Actjeon's Peak, Diana's 

 Peak, and Cuckold's Pit Peak form the culminating 

 points. The general elevaliou is between2,.500 and 2,700 feet; 

 the mean annual temperature rather below 60° Fah.; and 

 the soil composed of a rich black vegetable mould — peat — 

 overlying marl or decomposed volcanic rock. At this elev- 

 ation the ridge is bathed in moisture for at least three days of 

 every week ; and tlius favoured, as pointed out by Sir Charles 

 Elliott, it has become covered with a luxuriant growth of 

 ferns and other plants usually found in the home of Cin- 

 chonas in South Amcric.1. 



The prospect forCiiichona at first was full of promise; and 

 indeed if the cidtivation had been attempted at an earlier 

 period when there was a larger area of indigenous forest to 

 select from, and when plantations might have been established 

 on the northern and more sheltered slopes of the central 

 j-angc, the results might have been very different. 



