5^2 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



[December i, 1882. 



determination of these trees, I have just received a letter 

 from Mr. B. 0. Moens, Director of the Government Plant- 

 ations in Java, in which he refers to them as follows : — 



•' The specimens of Oulisai/a 1 and 2 came duly to hand. 

 They are very like the best forms of what we call C. 

 Culisai/a Javanica, and which are the C Calimya vera of 

 Wedd'eU. 



" From C. Ledyeriana it differs by the large flowers — 

 which I think were red — and the larger fruits, and by 

 having the leaves more obovate, at least, with the greatest 

 breadth above the middle of the leaf — whilst the leaves 

 in Lfdgeriana are more oblong — elliptical. That it is a 

 tihi'uh with you, will be due to the high elevations at 

 which it is planted. I would advise to try it at 3.000 

 feet in a good locaUty, and think that you will see trees 

 grown from the seed of No. 1 . The bark is a very good 

 one, and gave by analysis 538 per cent of quinine, 012 

 of (juinidine and 1*12 of ciuchonine and amorphous alkal- 

 oid, a very rich material for quinine manufacturing. If 

 they come true to seed, they will beat Officimilis with you, 

 like Leih/eriaiia does with us, and I am sure you will find 

 that tliiy will do better at a lower elevation." 



These trees, consisting now of about 100 specimens in 

 -fruit, will supply a valuable means of establishing this 

 desirable kind in Jamaica, and special care is being taken 

 to preserve the seed as it ripens and to utilize it to the 

 greatest extent. 



The " Hybrid " variety is believed by Mr. Howard to 

 resemljle 0. Officinalis ear uritusinyu, but as we have plants 

 of this Irtter kind both from India and Ceylon, a careful 

 comparison will soon be possible, so that the point can 

 be definitely settled. The so-called Hybrid is a hardy 

 plant and a remarkably free grower, and for general plant- 

 ing purposes is as valuable as any. 



Mr. Howard's analysis of the trunk bark of the Hybrid 

 variety is as follows ; — 



Quinine Quinine 

 Sidphate. Alkaloid. Oinchonidiue. Oinchonme. Quinidine. 

 800 6-00 0-73 010 003 



As mentioned in a former section a plantation of nearly 

 10 acres containing 28,870 plants has been established en- 

 tirely with this kind, and 3,420 plants have been put out 

 on the Buzza Plantation, so that its permanency as a 

 cultivated plant in Jamaica is well secured. AYith regard 

 to Mr. Howard's other analyses, a reference to the Report 

 will afford many interesting proofs that both the Grown 

 and Red Barks under cultivation here are the best of 

 their kinds, and that their produce compares favourably 

 with that of other countries.* 



* Jieinarks on Vic Annual lieport for 13S0, on the Gacemment Cin- 

 chona Plantuiicms, Jamaica, by Mr, John Elliot Howard, F.Ii.S., cVc. 

 The tenor of this Report shews, iu my opinion, tliat the cir- 

 cumstances of climate or soil miist he more lavorLible iu .Jamaica 

 than in India. The spontaneous gro^vth of Cinchona, especially 

 of the Crown Bark by self-sovm seedlings, now literally forming 

 patches of Cinchona forests on the Blue Mountain slopes (p. 7) is 

 especially to be noted, as compared with the following statement 

 iu " The Cinchona Planter's Manual," by T. C. Oweu, Colonbo, 



" Be the evil what it may (that it lies directly iu the soil, aud 

 iu particular condUions of the soil not dilBrult to determine, there 

 is little doubt) it is certain that the proportion of failures amongst 

 Cinchonas of all ages is so large, as to be quite imparalleled in 

 any other euterprize." 



The specimens of bark sent are very carefully gathered, and 

 represent apparently a higher produce in alkaloids than couhl be 

 expected from the average. 



It is very evident that the so-called " Hybrid," No. 4, if only 

 it is a free' grower, must be about the most valuable of all the 

 sorts. 



The price obtaiued in commerce does not seem proportionate 

 to its value, but possibly, as remarked (p. 7) it may be an ex- 

 ceptionally tine specimen. So far as I can judge by the Botanical 

 specimens" it is a true form of C. Officinalis. 



The large-leaved Crown Bark seed received from Dodabetta, must 

 evidently be the Uritusinga of Pavou, the former deHued by Sir 

 Joseph Hooker. This is also an excellent sort to cultivate. 



Tue designation '* var Condaminea" is misleading, being used 

 vaguely in India, and not at all recognised iu trade. That which 

 vou term "the general type" of C, Officinalis appears to me to 

 be the CondanunecCQi Humboldt, as reprinted iu the Plantes Equin- 

 o'tiales; but there are two forms included in Humboldt's plate. 

 1 refer to the more striking oue. 



The original names shouKl I think be kept as fav as possible. 

 Sir J. II. Hooker has done well iu restoring C. Offii-LmdiK, but 

 :is you >ce I use this term luore widely than Sir J. 1). Hooker. 

 Your No. 4 is as true C Officinalis as is the Uritusinga aiul differs 

 Oiilv iu Uie appearance o£ the bark. 



Bark harvested dtimir/ the year ISSl. — Only one shipment 

 of bark was made during the past year. The weight re- 

 presented 14,397 pounds of dried bark which realized prices 

 ranging from 7s. 8d. for trunk bark to Is. 6d. for twig 

 bark. The net result of the shipment was £2,675 Cs. 9d., 

 which, with the proceeds of the sales of 1879-80 represents 

 a total value of £8,167 Is. 8d. of bark shipped within 15 

 months. Full particulars respecting the qualities and prices 

 of bark shipped during the past year have been already 

 published. 



Extension of Cinchona cultivation in private hands. — There 

 are oncoiu'aging indications that Cinchona planting is being 

 taken up generally by private enterprise, and as shewn 

 above, the distribution of seeds and plants from tlie Go- 

 vernment plantation has assumed considerable proportions. 

 This has been due entirely to the encouraging results of 

 the late sales of bark and to the liberal terms on which 

 facilities for embarking in Cinchona cultivation are afforded 

 by Government. Grants of land suitable for Cinchona are 

 offered under conditions which practically place the Cin- 

 chona planter in Jamaica iu a most favourable position. 

 The supply of seeds and plants, especially of the valuable 

 Crown bark, C. Officinalis, is such, that no difficulty *is 

 anticipated in meeting any demands that may arise under 

 this head. 



Weather Observatory. — With the assistance of Mr. Maxwell 

 Hall, BI.A., F.R.A.S., a weather observatory has been 

 established at the Cinchona Plantation at an elevation of 

 4,900 feet. This is believed to be oue of the highest stations 

 iu the British Colonies and it is intended to work it in 

 connection with Mr. Maxwell Hall's other st.itions in Jamaica 

 and pubhsh the results as a monthly summary in the Go- 

 vernment Gazette. The instruments have all been carefully 

 compared with standards and fitted with .Stevenson's screens, 

 &o., &c., in accordance with the methods usually adopted 

 at such stations. The readings are taken daily at 7 a.m. 

 and 3 p.m. A tropical rain gauge and a self-registering 

 maximum and minimum thermometer have also been placed 

 on the Blue Mountain ri<lge at an elevation of 6,000 feet. 

 These are regularly visited three times a week. 



Apairt from the bearing which such observations must 

 have on the selection of lauds for Cinchona cultivation, it 

 is hoped that the observations at this statiou will contribute 

 to the success of the important work in which Mr. Maxwell 

 Hall is engaged, and afford information of a scientific 

 and general character concerning the climatology of the 

 British West Inches. The average readings of the Barometer 

 at this elevation are 25-350 ; the average annual temperature 

 63* Fah.; the average annual rainfall (on readings for 9 

 years) 124 inches. During the hurricane of August 18th, 

 1880, the lowest observed reading of the Barometer was 

 24-50; while in that of November 1st, 1874, it was 24-75. 



The heaviest rainfall during the past year fell on October 

 5th-Cth when 13 inches were registered in 24 hours. This 

 would represent a fall of 1,315 tons of water per acre— a 

 circumstance which easily .accounts for the damage often 

 done by heavy tropical rains to delicate plants in bods 

 and nurseries, and moreover is au element which Coffee 

 and Cinchona planters would do well to consider when 

 "hoe-weeding" aud " .scraping " and "no drains" are the 

 normal modes of cultivation. 



La Condamine, who journeyed tlu-ough Loxa in 1737 was the 

 lirst to describe the Loxa Bark aud figured it iu Mem. de I'Academie 

 des Sciences in X738. 



His representation is copied in Woodville's Botany, vol. 3. It 

 is distinctly the Uritusinga form of leaf aud accords well iu the 

 ovato-lanceolate form of the larger leaves with my plate of the 

 Uritusinga iu the "Nue\a Qiuuologia." 



Humboldt gives tliis character in his work Uber I>ic China,— 

 Walder, tyc. 



C. Condaminea. ..iQ\i\s ovato-lauceolatis utriuque glaberrimis aud 

 adds p. 21. 2ud Abschitt. 



Since only one species bears expressly the name C. Officinalis, 

 it must be the tree whicli jields the Cascarilla Jina dc Uritusinga 

 — a fever bark which Wits' considered the most useful iu tertian 

 fevers, &c. 



Hence we see that the Condaminea is the same as the Uritit^inga. 



Your No. 4 is* the Condaminea witli a slightly different bark, 

 but I should retain the term C. Officinalis for the whole, and the 

 earliest names Uritusinija, iifc, for the forms (I do not call them 

 varieties). 



A'ery likely your No. 4 is that from Aijavaca, but this is only 

 a guess. 



Y'our " ordinary quality " is C, Officinalis— furm of Humboldt's 

 plate. 



