986. 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[June i, 1883. 



but it is not uuliniitetl scope, Tliose countries favoured 

 with cheap labour, and suitable soil and climate, may be 

 able to <lerive fair profits from cinchonas for some years 

 to come : and amongst cinchona growers, he who is most 

 careful in the selection of his seed and gets a strong- 

 growing variety with rich bark to flourish on his land, will 

 be bett.T off than others. But to those who may con- 

 template going in for cinchona cultivation, I would point 

 out thiit the grand results talked of as having been ob- 

 taiueil and being now obtained by some in this branch 

 of agriculture, may, as far as they are concerned, be 

 relegated to the limbo of past possibilities. 



1 am not myself a scientific man, but there is what may 

 be called the scientific side of Cinchona cultivation which 

 cannot be ignored in looking at its financial aspect. As a 

 cinchona-grower, 1 have to call in the aid of the scientist 

 to make uiin/i/sf: of different barks for me in my selection 

 of the hist p:iri'.it3 from which to got my plants in the 

 future. It might be well for a cinchona planter to be able to 

 make his own anaft/ses; but, alter all, the number of analijses 

 he will require, for all practical purposes, will be few, 

 Uule.ss he may hope by judicious hybridization to get a 

 variety richer or stronger growing than any that has yet 

 been found, and thus make a name for himself (for the 

 desire for fame maybe found even in the .iungle-wallah) 

 his expenses in the way of getting nece-s.sary <nutljisiam3.Ae 

 for him willnot amount to much. A planter can, or ought 

 to be able to, tell from the growth of a tree (be it of the 

 yellow, brown, or red bark family) and the appearance of 

 the bark, whether it deserves his special attention. Tliere 

 is, as everybody knows, in the cinchona tribe, a great range 

 of richness in quinine — from the Grey-htaics, with hardly any 

 quinine in them at all, to some of the LeiJgermnns which have 

 given over 13 per cent of this pi-ecious alkaloid. Some 

 of the best Lnhjcr plants are of shrubby growth, and 

 though they may give, when mature, over 10 per cent, 

 of quinine, it is a question whether it will not pay the 

 l^lanter better to go in for a stronger-growing tree with 

 only half this percentage of quinine in the bark. It will, 

 however, be the endeavour of every cultivator in the future 

 to grow as rich a variety as he can get to take kindly 

 to his soil and chmate ; and it follows that, by this selec- 

 tion ("natural selection" of the fittest !) of the best vari- 

 eties of cinchona, and, for the jiurposes of propagation, 

 the best parents amongst these varieties, steadily contin- 

 ued • in future years, the average percentage of quinine 

 in the bark reaching the ditt'erent markets must go on 

 increasing annually. 



Putting down the quautitv of bark produced, we get 

 in 1883, 2.'),000,000 lbs ; in 1890, .50,000,000 lbs ; and in 

 the year 1900 i,000,000,OOI) lbs. But whereas the average 

 richness in quinine of total bark gathered in 18S3 is li 

 per cent ; the average in 1S90 will be 3 per cent, and 

 m 1900, possibly 4i percent. So that, though the .?«ff«</Yy 

 of hmk in the .years 1890 and 1900, will be respectively 

 twice and four times that of 1883, the y««H<(7// ufiininine 

 will be respectively four times and twelve times greater. 



To state the case in another form ; in this year (1883), 

 barks giving under 1 per cent of quinine are all but un- 

 .salealile ; in 1890, barks giving' under 2 per ceut, and in the 

 year 1900, barks giving uuder 3 per cent of quinine will be 

 in the same unfortunate position. 



The curative properties of quinidind and cinchonidine (and 

 in a lessor degree cinchouine) are now being thoroughly 

 recogni/.rd; this ought to raise a little the value of red, 

 relatively to other barks which are richer in quinine, if it 

 has nut done so ; but, for the purposes of my argument, it 

 was uunece.ssary to notice any but the principal alkaloid. 

 My figures do not pretend to be more tlian a very rough 

 approximation ; in a statement of this sort, this coulil not 

 have been otherwise. "We c.innot predict with certainty 

 what may happen by the year 1901); W'ynaad may then 

 have lapsed into jungle, and Mr, Gupta be Viceroy of Imlia ! 

 But if it can be shewn by any of your planting readers that 

 my figures are far wrong, or that my statement of the pos- 

 ition of cinchona cultivation is founded on a misapprehen- 

 sion of the probabilities, nobody will be moregiad than I, 



I have written simply and purel.y for the sake of vent- 

 ilating a view with regard to the future of chiuconas, 

 which, as one directl.y interested in their cultivation, is 

 acusiug me (possibly others nlso) considerable uneasiness. — 

 Jilutb'ag riiites. 



PEPPER CULTIVATION ON THE WEST 

 COAST OF INDIA. 



[Beypobe, 20th April. — Keferriug to your enquiry re 

 pepper cultivation sent to our Ooimbatore friends, we have 

 obtained the information we think you require, shewing 

 how pepper is cultivated on this coast, and enclose same. 

 — Stanes & Co.] 



The Peppek should be Pl.vnted in Low, Firm Ground. 

 In the beginning of the mouth of Juue, when the rain falls 

 incessantly, at the foot of a jack, mango, cajon, marcim, or any 

 other trees whose bark is rough or prickly dig a hole one foot 

 deep, the breadth and length sLx inches. Into this hole 

 put a cutting from the extremity of one of the branches 

 of a pepper vine, then fill it up with earth, taking care no 

 water is therein, and that none may remain after planting. 

 In the month of July roots will extend themselves in the 

 ground and the sprouts wdll appear on the surface, when 

 they are to bo tied- to a tree, and a circular bank of earth 

 thrown up round them that they may enjoy the moisture of 

 the water, which remains on the ground and sheltered from 

 the heat that prevails from the month of July to October. 

 When the rains cease, cover the root of the vines with fresh 

 leaves, it matters not from what tree, so that they have 

 the quahty of cooling. If the ground is too dry, water the 

 same moruiug and evening ; but, if it is entirely cool, twice 

 in eight days is sufficient. Then plant five or sis sprigs at 

 the foot of the same tree, taking particular care that they in 

 no wise touch each other. Teu days after the rains set in, 

 remove the leaves that cover the root of the viue, pull up 

 the grass that may have grown near them, and demolish 

 the circular bank of earth made to contain the water, that 

 none may remain at the foot of the tree. In the moutli 

 of August repeat the same. The vines are to be cherished 

 in this manner for three years. It must be observed that 

 the foot of the vines shouUl be covered every year in the 

 manner beforementioned. If the vine is once smothered 

 by the heat, it will begin to languish and produce no fruit; 

 so it is necessary to follow the above instructions. The 

 leaves ought likewise to lie removed in the month of Juue, 

 to prevent the white ants from reaching the root of the viue. 

 The Manner of Planting in the Month of Febhuaby, 

 WHEN the Ground is Low and Firm. 



Having made hole ten inches from the tree, the depth 

 thereof being fifteen inches, the length and breadth twelve 

 inches each, take seven branches from the extremit.y of the 

 vine, cut them thirty inches long, ami put them into the 

 hole ; then ^ fill it three quarters with earth, and the re- 

 mainder with fresh lea%'es, ol iserving to put water thereon, 

 morning and evening, till the commencement of the rains, 

 when fill the hole with earth, and throw up the bank as 

 before directed. The time for planting these vines, in the 

 rainy season, is in the month of June ; and in the mouth of 

 February in the dry season. If they are planted at any 

 other time, they will not bear fruit. Trees planted for the 

 support of pe]>i.'er vines ought to be fifteen or sixteen feet as 

 under. If closer, the branches will ,shade the vines from the 

 sun. and they ought to receive a moderate amount of warmth, 



iMaxxkr ok Planting in the Higher Situations axd 

 Firm Ground, 



Make a square whole fifteen inches, the same distance 

 from tile tree, take teu branches from the extremity of the 

 viue of seven inches length each, put them into the hole ot 

 a certain distance, filling it with earth and treating them 

 as before directed. Two years after they are planted it is 

 necessary to throw up a square bank of earth round every 

 five plants that the rainwater may soak in and nourish the 

 roots. If this is omitted <luring the rains, the viue will not 

 subsist during the dry season, on account of the heat. This 

 square is to be repaired every three 3'ears by wdiich nioai B 

 the vine will live a long time aad produce plenty of pejiptr ; 

 it ought to be done during the rains , in the month of July. 

 Manner of Planting in Very High Ground. 



ISfake a square hole 2| feet deep, at the same distance 

 from the tree, take 12 slips from the extremity of one of 

 the vines, two feet nine inches long, put them into a liole 

 at a certain distance, and cover them as before directed 

 throwing up the square bank. It is necessary to plant 

 these wines at the time before-mentioned. The reason for 

 making the whole deeper is on account of the heat which 



