Nov. I, m6q fMB TmPtCAL AQlUCiJtWRiHV, 



325/ 



THE PKOSPECTS OP CEYLON CINCHONA 

 BAEK. 

 We call attention to the letter of Mr. John Hamil- 

 ton on page 332, and feel sure it will be read 

 with interest both by tea and cinchona planters. It is 

 with reference to the latter portion of his remarks 

 that we would wish once more to consider the 

 position of the holders in this island of cinchona 

 bark whether on the trees or in the stores. Mr. 

 Hamilton, like so many other authorities, quotes 

 with approval our remark that Ceylon cinchona 

 planters have for several years to come, more 

 to fear from themselves in the way of competition, 

 than from any other quarter. The more 

 information we receive and the more we 

 study the subject, the clearer this becomes, at 

 least so far as the course of supplies for the next 

 four years is concerned. We do not see that the 

 exports from Java, India or Bolivia can, up to 

 1890, seriously affect the position attained by 

 Ceylon ; although after that the case may be 



different. 



But the question is, suppose Ceylon to go on for the 

 next four years exporting 12 or 15, or even 10 

 millions lb. of bark per annum, in what position 

 would our plantation clearings or bark supply be 

 at the end of that period. This is a most important 

 question to have answered, and we are glad to see that 

 the Dimbula Planters' Association has taken steps to 

 have the recjuisite information collected after a careful 

 and authentic fashion, and we trust the example 

 so set will be followed by other Associations in the 

 cinchona growing districts. At the Dimbula meet- 

 ing we learn Mr. James Sinclair called attention 

 to the subject, disputing the accuracy . of the 

 statistics supplied or worked out for our Directory, 

 and although the remarks he made could not be 

 embodied in the Secretary's report we have 

 received a copy to which we readily give a 

 place : — 



" Cmclio-.iabark has fallen to such a low figure, that 

 it has really become a question whether much of it 

 is worth the expense of placing on the market. 

 There is too, an idea prevalent, which speaking for 

 myself, lias assumed something more definite, and 

 that ia, that before long (but too late for most of us) 

 a re-action is bound to set in ; I mean, when the bulk 

 of the article has been shipped from the island, and 

 this date at the ratio of shipments for the past three 

 years cannot be far off. Fairly accurate information 

 on this poiut, gentlemen, is within our reach, if we 

 will but set about it. I beg, therefore, to propose 

 that this Association do communicate with the several 

 District Associations interested, with a view to ob- 

 taining for each body the following information : — 



I. The estimated acreage under cinchona. 



II. The quantity to be harvested for the vears end- 



ing Oct. 1887 and 1888. 

 If we can induce the other Associations to aid us, as 

 I say, fairly accurate figures are possible, and we 

 shall then know the ^c*-^ and 'vomt of our position. 

 If, unfortunately, it should be the latter, it might yet 

 be one which some such regulating Syndicate as 1 

 propounded lately in the newspapers, (which some of 

 you may have seen) would enable us to some extent at 

 least to participate in the rise of value, which we all 

 know must take place after our fields have become 

 denuded. In the Observe r oi Friday and "Times "of 

 Saturday much interestmg information is given, also 

 the opinion of the greatest living authority on bark 

 (Mr. H<5ward), viz., " that the price of cinchona entirely 

 depends on the exports from Ceylon." This coming 

 from one, who has probably the greatest facilities of any 

 cue individual foi- acquiring iijfQi'uiatioil fi'9iii ciughwai- 

 ll3 



producing countries, may be accepted as true. Another 

 no mean authority, Mr. John H. Hamilton, tells us 

 that we have more to fear from our own exports than 

 from those of any other country. With such testi- 

 money to that efJect before us, can we not go liand 

 in hand in obtaining accurate figures of the total 

 acreage now in the island i* The following figures 

 and conclusions being given only to illustrate our pos- 

 sible position regarding the product, I need not now 

 take up your time by stating how I have arrived at 

 them, but I may mention, in passing, that such au 

 enquiry as I propose will probably prove them fairly 

 correct. Let us take the whole area in Ceylou under 

 cinchona at 20,000 acres with 1,200 trees per acre, which 

 when all matured, say at 30th September 1888, would 

 yield one pound of dry bark per tree, or twenty-four 

 million pounds. Suppose we once more ship 15,000,000 

 lb. of which quite |ds would be stem, branch and root 

 bark, or say ten million pounds we have but fourteen 

 million trees on which we can operate during 1888, by 

 shaving or any other process. If therefore, gentlemen, 

 my figures are nearly accurate, consider the re-action 

 that would take place in the value ; why, I believe we 

 should see the unit at Is again, and all our bark gone; 

 surely this would be too tantalizing ou the back of 

 all we have had to bear these last eight years. I hope 

 therefore, you will support this resolution ; and when 

 information is asked by our Secretary, that every 

 care will be taken in framing estimates. I am aware 

 there are many who do not belong to any Association 

 and who may decline to furnish information, but there 

 must be few who would wantonly throw obstacles in 

 the way of such an enquiry, and if there are, their 

 neighbours can generally give a rough estimate to 

 make the return as accurate as possible." 



We are as keenly anxious as any planter can 

 be to give only fair and accurate returns of cin- 

 chona under cultivation as of all other i^roductg 

 and we shall be much pleased to get the result 

 of the Dimbula enquiry. We think it likely 

 enough that our returns will be found above the 

 mark, only it is possible that Mr. Sinclair forgot 

 they were compiled before much of the past 

 season's very heavy export was harvested. At the 

 same time Mr. Sinclair's own figures must be decidedly 

 below the mark : to say that Ceylon has only 

 20,000 acres with a>n average of 1,200 trees per acre, 

 yielding about 21 million lb. in all by 1888 must 

 be far below accuracy. Mr. Sinclair can have but 

 a poor idea of the cinchona clearings and in- 

 terspersed plantings in the several divisions of 

 Uva. From the best authority in Udapussellawa 

 we have a very interesting and able report in whi'h 

 Mr. Dick expresses the opinion that cinclion 

 may be regarded as a permanent cultivation, a 

 further that in a decade of years he does ni n 

 lieve our exports will fall below six million lb 

 From another reliable authority — a gentleman wno 

 we believe has been taking stock of the different 

 districts, — we have estimates which we consider 

 much nearer the mark than those of Mr. Sinclair, 

 In estimating for next season's export? the cor- 

 respondent we refer to, while venturing on 11 mil- 

 lion lb. as a possible total of exports for 188G-7, 

 adds that he thinks " 10 million lb. of cinchona 

 bark still remain in the country." This ceenis to 

 us as a much more probable approximate estimate 

 than 21 million lb. in 1888; but although the former 

 may appear large, in reality — remembering to what a 

 limited extent comparatively, cinchona is being 

 planted in this tea era, — 40 million lb. is by no 

 means a formidable stock to place before the 

 world. On the contrary if it could be shewn that 

 were Ceylon to ship say 10 million lb, for four 

 consecutive seasons, the export would thenof necessity 

 drop down to five to six millions, the effect would 

 inevitably be to strengthen the position of our bark 

 in the European market very considerably. It ig 

 tiig viucoilaiDtj' tlJBt CeylQii 'm^y aot go on jpour- 



