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THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, [February 2, 1885. 



CINCHONA CULTIVATION IN BOLIVIA. 

 We have heard from time to time of the establish- 

 ment of cinchona plantations, to take the place of 

 the extirpated natural plants in Bolivia, on por- 

 tions oE the Andean ranges famous as being the 

 favoured habitat of the fever plants. We now copy 

 from the Independent Journal a very interesting 

 account of the experiment of regular cultivation, con- 

 tributed by the American representative at La Paz. 

 We do not think cinchona growers in the Eastern 

 Hemisphere need feel much more anxiety in regard 

 to the competition of the cultivated bark from Bolivia 

 than they entertain in regard to the natural bark, 

 which at present cannot bear the cost of carriage 

 and the local duty, for, as will be seen, there is an 

 export duty on the " quina bark." The enumeration 

 of so many millions of plants in the various clearings 

 we were going to say, but clearings in the proper 

 sense they are not, — the millions of plants sounds 

 large, but, apart from what we know in Ceylon of 

 " insidious defunction," there is the clear indication 

 of the same fatal mistake which Junghuhn made in 

 the first experiments in Java, that of putting the 

 plants out in the natural forest, the undergrowth 

 only being cleared away at intervals. Plants grown 

 under such circumstances shoot up thin aud spindly, 

 as may be seen in Java to this day by the sides of 

 the path leading up to the Tankobanprau volcano, and as 

 might be seen at one time at Hakgala, in the case 

 of plants put down in early years according to advice 

 from Java. The plants which Mr. Gibbs speiks of 

 as producing an average of 4 lb. of bark (green bark, 

 no doubt) are probably the trees cut down in the 

 natural forests and not any as yet produced on the so- 

 called plantations ? What Mr. Gibbs says about the 

 altitude at which plants are grown, 3,000 to 4,000 feet, is 

 interesting, but some difference of latitude must be 

 taken into account, aud certainly experience in the 

 East is contrary to the statement that highgrown 

 cinchonas are deficient in alkaloids Dr. Trimen's 

 notice of the splendid analysis of highgrown cucci- 

 rubra bark will not be forgotten. The Amorican writer 

 dues not enter into details of species cultivated, but 

 what he does say seems to justify the inference that 

 calisayas of vari-coloured foliage are the favoured 

 kinds with the planters in Bolivia. If the prevailing 

 type is Ledgeriaua, good and well for the planters ; 

 but we now know that Cinchona Ca'isaya includes 

 not only the best tree known for richness of bark 

 but a number of poor or worthless varieties. Amongst 

 the enemies of the ciuchona tree, we have never in 

 Ceylon heard of a large black ant, and, even if our 

 canker is unknown on the Andean plantations, the 

 ravages of this infect seem, from the account given, 

 to be a counterpoise. But it is distinctly stated that 

 25 per cent of the trees planted out rot off or decay 

 in the first two years. The soil and climate of Bolivia 

 do not, therefore, seem much more favourable to the 

 growth of cultivated ciuchonas than those of India 

 and Ceylon. It will be observed that the Bolivian 

 planters adopt the coppicing process solely, neither 

 stripping nor shaving having been tried by them. But, 

 as one of the German superintendents said, the enter- 

 prize is as yet in its infancy and the planters have 

 much to learn. India, Ceylon and Java which received 

 the precious trees as gifts from the slopes of the 

 Andes can contribute some valuable information in 

 return, if the Bolivian planters will only avail them- 

 selves of our experience. How plenty of sun and wind 

 as well as rain are to reach trees planted amidst the 

 natural forest, that forest being only partially cleared 

 of undergrowth, we cannot see. 



CULTIVATION OF CINCHONA IN BOLIVIA. 



BY MINISTER GIBBS, OF LA PAZ. 



I have devoted some time and attention to acquire data 

 and information relative to the next important article- 

 cinchona bark, or quina— of whieh large quantities are ex- 

 ported yearly. Formerly it was gathered by the Indians, 

 aud in such a manner that large forests were destroyed! 

 trees cut down, the bark taken in any way merely to make 

 up large quantities ; today the quina plantations, or, as 

 they are called here, quinales, are cultivated and nourished 

 with care and agricultural science, the principal planters 

 being Germans— one, Mr. Otto Eichter, possessing two 

 million plants ; the estate of Mr. John Kraft, a Hollander, 

 lately deceased, two million. 



The cultivation of quiua in plantations, systematically, 

 has been carried on for about seven years, hardly long 

 euough to show all the advantages, as there is room for 

 much study aud improvement. 



Mapire, about sixty leagues north of this place, or about 

 f.ve days' journey, has under cultivation about four million 

 five hundred thousand plants ; Eonga, north-east of this 

 tity about twenty leagues, five hundred thousand plauts ; 

 Yungas, east-north-east twenty leagues, one million plants ; 

 Guanay, east of Mapire, five hundred thousand plants ; 

 total, six million five hundred thousand plants. 



Where the principal quinales are it is a very rough and 

 broken country, the Andes being seamed and cut into deep 

 valleys in every direction. The trees are planted on the 

 sides of the valleys or ridges in altitudes of about 3,000 to 

 4,000 feet above the sea. They will grow higher up, even 

 to S,0C0 feet, but are stunted, and will give little or nothing 

 of what is called here the quina salt. The plants want a 

 great deal of sun, heavy rains and fresh winds. 



I have conversed with three of the principal super- 

 intendents of the large quiua plantations— all Germans— aud 

 they say that the cultivation of quina is yet in its infancy, 

 and there will be many improvements through time and 

 experience. 



A tree will give from 15 to 20 lb. of seed. The seed 

 is collected iu November aud December (the early summer 

 months here), and planted very thickly in boxes or beds 

 about 12 feet in length and 3 feet in • breadth and 'placed 

 on a slight decline or fall and well irrigated. When the 

 plants are about 6 inches in height and have a few leaves, 

 from five to six (which is about five months), they are 

 transplanted ; holes of some 8 to 10 inches deep are dug 

 about 6 feet apart, in which they are planted. The plant 

 is covered partly over with twigs and other light stuff, 

 grass and leaves, to keep off the sun for about three 

 months. When the plant is strong and healthy, the under- 

 growth, of other plants is cleaned out and great care is 

 taken. This attention continues for about two years, and 

 then the plants that are left are considered sound. 

 About 25 per cent of all rJle plants decay or rot in 

 this time. Afterwards the undergrowth is cleared out 

 once a year, and when the tree is six years old it is 

 productive, grows to about 14 feet in height, and has a 

 diameter of about G inches up to 6 or 7 feet. Where the 

 bark is of the most productive kind, the trunk grows 

 straight and slender, and has the form of an orange tree. 

 When a tree is left standing for ten or twelve years, it 

 is over a foot in diameter, the bark is thicker and heavier, 

 but not so productive in quinia. The bark is ready to 

 cut wheu the tree is about six years old. An incision is 

 made around the trunk of the tree a few inches from the 

 ground, another incision some 24 inches above around the 

 tree, and then two incisions opposite, lengthwise. The bark 

 is pulled off in two pieces. Two cuts, and sometimes 

 three, are got off each tree, 22 to 24 inches iu length, and 

 7 to 8 inches in width. When removed it curls up like 

 the cinnamon bark. After the tree is stripped it is cut 

 down, leaving a trunk about 12 iuches above the ground, 

 and from the base, where the bark has been left, there 

 spring out some fifteen or twenty shoots or sprouts; those 

 are left growing until they are a little higher than the 

 stump, then they are thinned out, leaving two or three ; 

 they grow fast and in five years give good bark. 



The trees produce on an average about 41 pounds of bark, 

 and are stripped in the southern hemisphere late iu the 

 spring— October to January. The bark is placed in paved 



