OCTOnER I, 1882.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



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CINCHONA IN THE LOWCOUNTRY OF 



CEYLON. 

 Tlie experiment ill course of trial near Kalutara (repor- 

 ted liy '■ W. L. F. ") may Ije fraught with very important 

 consequences. The leaves sent to us of Icdgeriana, pube- 

 scens and condaniinea, growing at so low an elevation as 

 200 feet above sea-level, shew healthy and luxuriant 

 growth. Curiously enough, it is the red bark trees 

 (succirubra) which fail at so low an elevation, instead 

 of Icdgeriana, the native habitat of which is 5,000 

 feet above sea-level. Accordingly, in first experiments 

 it was tried at high elevations in Ceylon. Experi- 

 ence has shewn that it grows better in low warm 

 sites, and how lorn it can be grown will depend on 

 the fjuality of the bark of the trees which are now 

 tlourishiiig at '200 feet only of altitude. .So with the 

 "pubescens" and "condaniinea" trees. We are not 

 surprized to hear of a tendency to premature blos- 

 soming, as the same tendency is displayed at the 

 other extreme of high altitude. In both cases, we 

 suppose, it would be wise to deprive the plants of 

 their lilossonis ? If, as we suppose, " pubescens " is 

 a hybrid between succirubra and officinalis, it is a 

 curious circumstance that the hybrid should succeed 

 at a level too low for that parent which specially 

 suits low altitudes. It seems as if the hybrid, like 

 the tea plant, will grow from sea-level to 7,000 feet 

 altitude. At the latter elevation in Ceylon hybrids 

 are growing where officinalis died out, although we 

 were taught, and the experiment on Dodabetta seemed 

 to prove, that this was the species for high elevations. 

 If what is called " condaniinea " is a variety of 

 officinalio, and not, as we suspect, a hybrid, then it 

 is still more curious to find it so wonderfully adapted 

 to clianged conditions, not even shewing a disposition 

 to premature flowering, as pubescens, " freely, " and 

 ledgeriana also do. There is another fact of very 

 considerable interest and importance. The estate in 

 Dolosbage whence the plants were lirought to be 

 '■put out" at 200 feet above sea-level has an altitude 

 of, at least, 2,500 feet. The plants, therefore, are 

 Hourishuig at an elevation 2,300 feet lower than the 

 nurseries in which they were reared. Unless the 

 free flowering of tlie pubescens (healthy otherwise) 

 is to be ascrilied to the shock of this change of 

 cluiiate, no evil effects seem to liave followed. But, 

 as it is bark more or less copiously yielding alkaloids 

 which is desiderated in cinchona culti^■ation, the gi'eat 

 (piestiou now is as to the quality of the bark. We 

 sl'.ould think it is not too early even at present to 

 take specimens of bark for analysis from some of 

 the trees, and the process should be repeated (the 

 results, we trust, beuig published) at intervals not 

 longer than six mouths. If trees at so low an altitude 

 can produce liark moderately rich in alkaloids, it is 

 obvious that the whole enterprize of cinchona cultiv- 

 ation will be revolutionized. 



RFPORT ON CEYLON INDIARUBBER. 



A\'c take the following from correspondpuce printiil iu 

 the Gazette hy iWrevXww of the Governor; — 

 \Y. T. Thiskltox Dyer. E.sq., C.II.G, to the Colonial Oki-ice. 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, 3llth .June 1S82. 



Sir.— I am directed Ijy Sir Joseph Hooker to inform 

 you tliat Ur. Triiucn, the Director of tlic Royal Botanic 

 Garden. Per:ideniyii, luis brought with him to this country 

 a sam]>le of the caoutchouc of the Ceara-rubber tree 

 {Maiiitiot Glttzlovii) of Ceylon production. It will be in 

 your recollection tli:>( it was introduced into Ceylon in 

 1877 as p.irt of an inidt-rt 'king initiated l.y the Govern- 

 ment of India, and carried out from Kew at its exocnse 

 for the purpose of introducing the most important caou- 

 35 



tchouc-yielding plants of South America into the tropics 

 of the Old World. The Ceara-rubber plants went out to 

 Ceylon iu charge of Mr. Jlorris, the late A,ssistant Director 

 of the Royal Botanic Garden, Pcradeniva. 



This sample is the first of bulk sufficient for experi- 

 mental ipurposes, which has been yielded by he trees at 

 Peradeniya. I am now to Bubmit for your information 

 copies of a correspondence with Messrs. R. AV. Silver k. Co. 

 as to its commercial value. 



I may remark tliat too great importance need not be 

 attachetl to the difference between samples numbers I and 

 2, which is probably iu great measure a mere accident. 

 There seems no reason to doubt that the bulk of Ceara- 

 rubber produced in Ceylon might be up to the st:iudard 

 of No. 1, the value of which Me.s.srs. S. W. Silver & Co. 

 estimate at from 2,'.- &d to 3s per lb. 



I may add that Dr. Trimen st.ates that the Para-rubber 

 plants {Ilevea) seeded last year for the first time, and 

 that the (CastiUoa) was in flower when he left the island. 

 These circumstances are of the more interest as these 

 species have proved difficult of propagation from cuttings 

 in Ceylon. — I am, &c., W. T. Tbiselton Dyee, Assistant 

 Director. 



^y. T. Thiselton DraE, Esq., O.M.G. to S. W. Silver. Esq. 

 Koyal Gardens, Kew, 17th June 1882. 



Dear Sir, — It will be within your recollection that the 

 plant (Manihot Giiziovii) which yields Oeara-rubber has 

 been introduced into Ceylon at the expense of the Govern- 

 ment of India. It is now thoroughly naturalized there, 

 and is hkely to become practically a weed. Dr. Trimen, 

 the Director of the Royal Botanic Garden, Peradeniya, 

 arrived in England from Ceylon on the 15th. He brought 

 with him the accompanying samples of rubber from the 

 Ceara plant, the first which has been produced in the island. 



Sir Joseph Hooker would esteem it a favour if you 

 could give him an estimate of the commercial value of 

 the article as now sent you. 



There are two samples, and you will observe that that 

 labelled (2) is more glutinous and sticky than that labelled 

 (1). A separate estimate of the value of each, supposing 

 them to be sufficient for the purjiose, would gi-eatly oblige. 



Sir Joseph Hooker ventures to trouble yow in the mat- 

 ter, remembering the kind assistance which on other oc- 

 casions you have rendered tliis establishment. He also feels, 

 that, as an opinion on the results of the experiment will 

 be anxiously anticipated iu Ceylon, he cannot apply to a 

 more authoritative source for an estimate which will be 

 accepted with confidence. — I am, &c.,'W. T. Thisklton Dyee. 



The lKDiA-i)FBBEK,GtiTTA-PERCHA. and Telegkaph Works 

 Co., Limited, to W. T. Thiselton Dyee, Esq., C.M.G,, 

 Assistant Director, Royal Gardens, Kew. 



Silvertown, Essex, London, E., 29th June, 18S2 

 Sir, — Referring to your letter of the 17th .Tune to Mr. 

 tS. "W. Silver, enclosing two samples of Ceara-rubber, we 

 have now the honor to enclose you our Chemist's report 

 on same after careful examination. The present market 

 value of No. 1 sample is from 2,s' 9t/ to '6s per lb. No. 

 2 sample we do not consider worth more tlian from ]>-. 

 to l.s- 3rf per lb. — We remain. &c.. The India-rubber, 

 Gutta-percha, and Telegraph Works Co., Limited, 



J. AV. Bailet. 



Report of Examination of two .Samples of Rubber from 



S. W. Sjlvee, Esq., accompanying letter from W. T. 



Thiselton Dyer, Esq., C.M.G. , Assistant Director, 



Royal Gardens, Kew. 



Description, ^-c. — Sample No. 1 has a dry and compact 



appearance, is free from extr.aneous impurities, and from 



its tolerably uniform condition has been collected with 



care. It agrees in all respects with Ceara-rubber of good 



and sound quaUty. 



Samp'e No. 2 is soft and sticky, and is mixed with a 

 considerable quantity of coarse sand. It is much darker 

 than No. 1. It is very desirable that a sample of No. 2, 

 collected without this admixture of sand, should be ex- 

 amined. Whether this sand is accidentally or intentionally 

 mixed, its presence woidd be a serious drawback to its 

 use. For the better cla.ss of rubber manufactures it would 

 be totally unsuited. 



