August i, il 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



8 S „ 



A considerable cbangc was effected during the year in 

 the proportions of tho different species of cinchona under 

 cultivation, lu the plantations at Mungpoo and Sittong, 

 some 232,200 red bark trees were uprooted, and these 

 were replaced chiefly by the yellow bark variety. 

 The new plantation at Eungjung was al60 planted ou1 

 with 42,200 trees of this variety. This reform 

 has been introduced at the instanco of the Home Government, 

 the Secretary of State being desirous of extending the culti- 

 vation of the Ctdisaya Ledyerina species, which is far richer 

 in quinine than the red bark variety. The total number of 

 yellow barks planted was 214,720, and these were either 

 Ledyerianas from plantation seed, or Verdes and Moradas 

 from South America. The latter plants were raised from seed 

 which had been supplied in the preceding year by the 

 Secretary of State. The seed germinated freely enough, 

 but a considerable number of the seedlings died when they 

 were hardly half an inch in height; while the weaker sur- 

 viving plants succumbed to the effects of the winter, which 

 was unusually severe. The remaining plants look healthy 

 and promise to be good quinine-jielders. 



2. In the resolution recorded upon the proceedings of 

 last year, analyses were given of barks of eight forms of 

 the hybrid variety. During the year under review, barks' 

 of two more of these were analysed. The results obtained 

 from all the ten hybrids are shown in the following table : — 



No.l. No. 2. No.3. No. 4. No. 5. 

 Crystallized sulphate 



of quinine 2'87 1-48 1-88 097 2-12 



Crystallized sulphate 



of cinchouidine ... 294 2-85 293 1'94 2'84 

 Crystallized sulphate 



of quinine... ... traces, traces, traces, traces, traces. 



Cinchonine (alkaloid)... 072 0-57 0-52 080 033 

 No. 6. No. 7. No. 8. No. 9. No. 10 

 Crystallized sulphate 



of quinine... ... 204 6-12 3-99 312 324 



Crystallized sulphate 



of cinchonidine ... 2-26 246 333 T21 246 

 Crystallized sulphate 



of quinine... ...traces, traces, traces. 030 



Cinchonine(aklaloid)... 0-68 0'65 0-57 071 0-52 

 Most of these are excellent barks, and the trees producing 

 them are, as the Superintendent remarks, well worthy of 

 cultivation. 



3. The total number of Cinchona trees of all sorts at the 

 close of the year was 4,740,811, namely red (Cinchona Sticai- 

 rubra) 3,532,000, yellow Calisaya Ledgeriana) 854,218, yellow 

 (Calisaya Verde and 3Iorada) 8,500, hybrid unnamed variety 

 320,500, and other kinds 25,593. The total number planted 

 in the preceding year was 4,711,168. 



4. The entire produce of the plantations for the year 

 was 305,160 lb. of dry bark. Of this, 283,240 lb. were of 

 red, 14,«20 lb. of Calisaya, 5,490 lb. of hybrid, and 2,110 lb. 

 of Officinalis bark. The Sittong plantation may now be 

 considered to have come into bearing, a sixth part of the 

 total crop having been obtained from it. With the excep- 

 tion of 100 lb. supplied to the Calcutta Medical Depot and 

 31^ lb. sold to the public, the entire produce was made over 

 to the febrifuge Factory for disposal. 



5. The total expenditure in the plantations amounted 

 to B78.660, against the budget allotment of K93.605. Of 

 this expenditure, R12,527 was incurred on the young plant- 

 ation at Eungjung, and this sum is chargeable to capital 

 account. The balance, amounting to B66,133, was spent 

 on the old plantations ut Kungbee, Mungpoo and Sittong. 

 The expenditure at Sittong, which was formerly charged to 

 block account, has, now that the plantation has commenced 

 to yield a crop, been charged as working expenses in the 

 same manner as tho expenditure on the Eungbeeand Mung- 

 poo plantations is treated. 



6. Judging from the results of the experiments made 

 for several years past to grow on the plantations tho 

 plants yielding the Carthagena baik, it is established, 

 almost beyond doubt, that the plant is unsuited to the 

 climate of Wikkim. The bark, however, is not so valu- 

 able as that of the Ledgeriana, or the hybrid variety 

 grown on the plantations. In the last year's resolution, 

 reference was made to the Bemija plant, which produces 

 a quinine-yielding bark under the name of Cuprea, and 

 it was stated that this bark formed a very large pro- 

 portion of the quantity of quinine bark imputed into 



Europe. Dr. King has hitherto succeeded in getting only 

 two packets of this seed. The plant raised from one of 

 these speedily died, while the seed contained in the se- 

 cond packet was only sown towards the end of the 

 year, and the result is not yet known. 



7. The percentage of febrifuge obtained from the bark 

 was almost the same as in the previous year, viz. 2'72 

 pi I nt., but the cost at which the febrifuge wasturned 

 out rose from E8-8 a pound to K10-4-8 a pound. This 

 increase is attributed to the higher cost per pound of 

 the bark collected during the year, which was due to the 

 smaller crop harvested. Dr. King explains : — " The 

 difference is due to the smaller crop harvested, 

 viz. 305,ltJO lb. as against 358,100 1b. tor 1882-83- 

 These fluctuations are inevitable as long as the 

 crop continues to be limited, not by the capacity 

 of the plantation to produce, but by the demand for the 

 product into which the crop is to be manufactured. The 

 lowest price of production ner pound can of course only 

 be reached when the plantation is cropped to its full 

 capacity to yield." The distribution of the febrifuge was 

 in excess of the issues for 1882-83. The figures lor the 

 two years are : — 



1882-83. 1883-84. 

 lb. oz. lb. oz, 



The Medical Depot, Calcutta 2,000 2,620 o 



Do Bombay 1,000 1,000 



Do Madras 350 580 



To Colonial Government Mauritius ... 150 



„ Surgeon-General (for district 



medical officers of Bengal) ... 803 12 618 4 



„ Inspector-General of Jails (for 



jails and lock-ups, Bengal) ... 26 12 32 4 



Sold to the public... 4,560 12 4,276 



Given as samples ... ... ... 10 18 4 



Total... 8,901 4 9,144 12 

 The issues to the public declined during the year 

 though they are still in advance of those of 1880-81. 

 It is probable that a supply of English-made febri- 

 fuge will shortly be sent out to this country for sale 

 at a very low rate in malarious tracts. It is hoped that its 

 cheapness will induce the poorer claBses to have recourse 

 to it, and they will thereby have a better opportunity of 

 discovering and appreciating its value. 



8. The revenue derived trom the sale of the febrifuge, 

 seed, plants and bark amounted to El, 54,463-14-0, as shown 

 below, against Bl,52,807-l-0 in the preceding year — 



B. a. p 

 By sale of febrifuge, seed, plants, and bark 



to tho public 74,264 10 



By credits from the Medical Depot of 



Calcutta 43,384 4 



Ditto ditto of 



Bombay 16,500 



Ditto ditto ... of 



Madras 9,570 



Ditto from the Surgeon-General, 



Bengal 10,2118 



Ditto from the Inspector-General 



of Jails, Bengal 533 8 



Total 



1,54,463 14 



The result of the year's working was a net profit of 

 E59,700-7-7, equal to a dividend of 5| per cent, on the 

 capital outlay. Dr. King points out that this does not re- 

 present the whole of the actual gain for the year. The 

 cost of the febrifuge used in substitution for quinine in 

 Government hospitals and dispensaries during the year was 

 R80,045, whereas an equal quantity of quinine would have 

 cost three times as much. 



9. The Lieutenant-Governor is again glad to acknowledge 

 Dr. King's excellent management of his department 

 during the year. He fully appreciates the services of Mr. 

 Gammie, who held immediate charge of the factory. The 

 other assistants are also well spoken of. 



Ordeb. — Ordered that a copy of this Eesolutiou, and of 

 the Eeports referred to, be submitted to the Government 

 of India, in the Home Department, and that a copy of 

 tlit Resolution be forwarded to the Superintendent of tic: 

 Cinchona plantations, for information. 



