]>.s. I, 1887.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



473 



CINCHONA CULTUEE IN JAVA AND 



SOUTHERN INDIA. 



We have received the annual Report in Dutch of M. 

 von Eomunde, Director of the Government Cinchona 

 plantations in Java, which we have had specially 

 translated, and also the Report of Mr.Law3on,Director 

 of Government Cinchona Plantations, Nilgiris, for 

 1886-6. We give them in detail in the pages of the 

 Tropical Agriculturist, see pages 479 et seq. There is 

 very much of interest to the practical cinchona cul- 

 tivator and especially to the Ceylon cinchona owner 

 at this time when anxiety is felt as to future bark 

 supply and condition of the bark market. In Java 

 there was no special extension of planting operations 

 in 1885, but preparations were being made for a good 

 deal of work in the current year and in 1887. More 

 particularly was attention being given to the planting 

 of a hybrid between Ledgeriana and Succirubra, 

 and to the increase of the grafted Ledgers on 

 Succirubra stems. These latter are said to be 

 flourishing so far, and as grafts are only taken 

 from trees tested up to 10 per cent of quinine, in 

 fact "from the richest known mother trees," it 

 is evident that the Ceylon proprietor has soma 

 cause for anxiety in this direction. As regards 

 private enterprise some idea may be formed^though 

 by no means a correct one — from the results 

 of the sales of seed which in that year amounted 

 to 13,471 florins (rupees we may say) and besides, 

 there were sold 2,730 florins' worth of grafts. We 

 are struck by the very careful and improved system 

 of cultivation employed by M. von Roraunde, in 

 clean weeding, thorough draining and digging all 

 over his fields. He speaks, too, of thorough digging 

 before replanting a field with ledgers on which cop- 

 picing and uprooting had taken place. Close 

 planting is very strongly recommended. Hehpeltis 

 continued to give annoyance occasionally. Shav- 

 ing old officinalis trees had been very success- 

 fully practised ; but in other cases the process 

 of shaving only half the circumference at a time 

 had done harm and a series of experiments in 

 shaving now going on are described. Close planted 

 Ledgeriana trees are said not to stand shaving at 

 all. The total Government harvest of bark in 1885 was 

 about 500,000 lb. As regards the ext'^nsion of cin- 

 chona planting by private owners, the Director says 

 there has been a decided check, but he affords 

 no estimate of the total area planted. There 

 is much more and detailed information, es- 

 pecially as to analyses, and official experi- 

 ments made at the instance of private planters, 

 anxious to save freight &c. by sending alkaloid 

 extracts in the rough to Europe; but the report 

 on this quiniiim experiment from Holland is not 

 given. It would appear as if 22 lb. of bark (10 

 kilogrammes) were reduced to 2 l-5th lb. (1 kilo.) 

 the latter (quinium) having 60 per cent alkaloid 

 against G per cent in the bark. It seems a pity that 

 M. von Romunde's Report was not available sooner, 

 for it contains a great deal of valuable inform- 

 ation. The common idea in Ceylon is that shaving 

 causes the bark to increase in thiclcness, and that 

 ihe renewed bark is much richer in alkaloids than 

 the original bark. This, among other tilings, 

 is apparently proved not to be the case in Java. 

 Turning now to the Nilgiris Report, we need 

 only noVicp. here that in connection with conpicing, 

 GO 



Mr. Lawson considers after careful experiment, 

 it to be quite immaterial at what time of year 

 cinchona trees are cut down. Mr. Lawson gives 

 most encouraging information as regards the great 

 need for an extension of consumption, showing 

 on Dr. Bidie's figures, that Government will not 

 do its duty until 2 million lb. of bark averaging 

 6J per cent of total alkaloids are provided for 

 the people in the Madras Presidency alone ! At 

 this rate all the present season's crops in Ceylon 

 and India should be kept for the use of the 

 people in these countries. Mr. Hooper (the quino- 

 logist) gives valuable information as to shaving 

 and manuring of cinchona trees, the extraction 

 and preparation of cheap alkaloids, &c. Of Mr. 

 Hooper's further good work we have a specimea 

 in a separate Report which has reached us from 

 Madras giving the result of his investigations into 

 the inorganic constituents of cinchona bark. We give 

 this (see page 476) as well as all that is of practical 

 use in the Botanical Director's Report iu our 

 pages. 



THE CLOUD LIFTED FROM QUININE. 



The better feeling in the quinine market, which 



has been noted in our regular reports for the past 



few weeks, is not based on any speculative ideas, 



but seems to be the result of natural ciioum- 



! stances, with a solid foundation to work upon. The 



! violent fluctuations and remarkably low prices which 



! have marked the course of this alkaloid for a long 



j period rather discouraged investors and consumers, 



i and it became recognized as a dangerous specul- 



i ative article. There were many persons who con- 



I sidered quinine cheap at half a dollar per ounce, 



1 but when it touched that figure they were not so 



ready to invest ; consequently there is leas stock in the 



hands of manufacturers and speculators than at 



any previous period, as less bark was worked into 



quinine. 



The large shipments of Ceylon bark, from 1883 

 to 188G, rather mystified operators in quinine, and 

 they lost confidence in the market because of the 

 impression that increased area was under cultiv- 

 ation, and that this bearish element would continue 

 to influence values. The Reporter has previously 

 pointed out the fact that root bark had made its 

 appearance in the London market which was evid- 

 ence of the destruction of cinchona plantations, the 

 trees being uprooted instead of stripping the bark, 

 owing to the industry proving unprofitable. This 

 has undoubtedly accounted for the large receipts, a a 

 whole roots came to the market instead of strips 

 as heretofore. It is stated that the acreage under 

 cultivation in Ceylon is two-thirds less than dur- 

 ing 1883, which is a strong argument alone in favour 

 of a reaction. 



But what of the Java and South American fields. 

 The latest information from Java was published in 

 these columns last week, and showed a decline in 

 the industry, according to a British consul, but 

 previous reports gave more encouraging prospects ; 

 still, that country is not yet recognized as an im- 



Eortant factor in the situation. South American 

 arks received a bJick set from previous experience 

 which it will be difficult to recover from, but in 

 the event of a scarcity of Oeylon barks, followed 

 by extreme prices. South American barks will have 

 to be drawn upon, but the comparatively low per- 

 centage of quinine they contain prevents them from 

 being an equal substitute. Manufacturers are speak- 

 ing more hopefully of the future, and are firmly 

 inclined to the belief that the extreme low prices 

 will never be reached again. The ^rumor of a com- 

 bination among foreign manufacturers has no found- 

 ation in fact; such a thing is among the improba- 

 bilities, as their experience with the syndicate dis- 

 gusted some of them, and brought about a deter- 

 mination to oppose all pools. — Amencan Oil, Paint and 

 Drug BciJOiiir. 



