April t, 1885.] 



*THE TROPICAL AaRICtJLTURlSf . I 



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THE FRAUDS IN THE MADRAS CINCHONA 

 DEPARTMENT. 

 Noticing the recent trial and conviction of a couple 

 of subordinates in the Madras Cinchona Department, 

 the Madras Mail writes : — 



"The late Mr. Mclvor was entrusted with the in- 

 troduction of cinchona cultivation in the hill districts 

 Of Southern India, under the advice and guidance of 

 Mr. Clement Markham, to whom thiB special duty 

 for all India was assigned by Her Majesty's Gov- 

 eminent ; and at the time of his death in 1876, 

 seven estates had been opened on the Nilgiris, — 

 namely three at Neddivattum, two at Pykara, one 

 at Ootacamund and one at Nevelkoondah,— the whole 

 covering an area of 1,200 acres and numbering 1,190,453 

 cinchona trees, including half-a-million each of 

 officinalis and succirubra, estate. In 1871, all ex- 

 penditure on the Nevelkoondah was discontinued 

 with the object of ascertaining how far cinchona 

 could be left to nature. In 1876 the Madras Gov- \ 

 eminent recorded an expression of complete satisfac- 

 tion with the progress of the experiment, and its 

 belief tbat the objects in view of providing an abund- 

 ant and cheap supply of the febrifuge for the 

 use of hospitals and troops in India, and of 

 encouraging the cultivation of cinchona, were 

 in a fair way of being realized. Shortly before 

 Mr. Mclvor died the Quinologist, Mr. Broughton, 

 had mysteriously disappeared, and although this gentle- 

 man is said, at this moment, to be in New Zealand, 

 no communication has ever been received from hiin 

 by any of his friends in this country and there are 

 many persons who will not credit the rumour of his 

 being still alive. The appointment of a Quinologist 

 had been advocated by Mr. Markham in 1S66, but 

 Mr. Broughton was not appointed till the latter half of 

 1868, and he held office till 1875 when the post was 

 abolished, the report of a Commission specially ap- 

 pointed to investigate the subject having satisfied 

 the Government of the day that a Quinologist was 

 an expensive encumbrance. The Ootacamund labor- 

 atory had consumed during the seven years it was 

 in operation no less a quantity than 302,050 pounds 

 of green cinchona bark, valued at R. 50, 930, in 

 producing 922 lb., of " amorphous quinine," or at 

 a cost of 130 shillings per pound. The Quinologist's 

 Department had further spent R.128,684 to the 

 6nd of 1875 in salaries, plant, and establishrre it, 

 and had generally failed to secure the purposes for 

 which it was constituted, namely, to investigate the 

 various questions connected with the elaboration of 

 alkaloids, the best methods of harvesting the bark, 

 and the most economical and efficacious mode of pre- 

 paring the febrifuge. 



"In 1877 Government apprehended that all was nnt 

 right with the plantations, that their contents 1 ad 

 beeu overstated, and that the expenditure was not 

 judiciously incurred. Captain Campbell Walker, In- 

 spector of Forests, was deputed to make enquiry into 

 these matters, and to suggest measures for the future 

 management of this valuable State property. lli-i 

 enquiries disclosed the fact that there was a consider- 

 able deficit in the number of plants faid to be 

 established on the various plantations — there being 

 little over 700,000 instead of 1,190,458 borne on the 

 returns. His report, however, was not adopted in 

 its entirety though the Government was convinced 

 of the great laxity that had prevailed in the adminis- 

 tration of the Department for which it accepted a 

 large measure of b'ame, and that the plantation had 

 been formed at a heavier cost than was justifiable. 

 One result of the investigation was that the Forest 

 Department became henceforward associated with the 

 Collector in the management of the plantations, and 

 the idea of re-appoiuting a Superintendent iu the 



97 



position of independence and responsibility of Mr. 

 Mclvor was abandoned. This divided management 

 was continued till 1883, when Mr. Lawson, took charge 

 of the Plantations." 



On which we have to remark that it is most 

 unfair to charge the wholo cost of the Quinologist's 

 Department against the cost of the febrifuge. To 

 the analyses and reports of Mr. Broughton 

 all cinchona growers were much indebted, and there 

 can bo little doubt that the contemptuous tone of 

 the report referred to, drove an able and sensitive 

 man away from India. 



THE WORLD'S EXPOSITION AT NEW ORLEANS. 

 (From the Times Democrat, Jan. 14th.. 

 Central America has made great efforts iu all directions, 

 her five republics constituting her vast domain, of Guate- 

 mala, the principal one ; Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and 

 Costa Rica vying with each other in all the departments of 

 agriculture. The 



iiftiuulic of Guatemala 

 is one of considerable importauce, not only for its agri- 

 cultural resources but its historical associations. Central 

 America runs north of Panama and south of Mexico, and 

 Guatemala lies between the parallels of 10° and 18° north 

 latitude, which is directly within the tropic belt and all 

 ; agriculture is of the tropical order, Mr. W. J. Forsyth is the 

 commissioner to the World's Exposition. 



The government is composed of a Senate and House of 

 I Representatives, similar to that of the United States. Tho 

 President is elected by the people. Gen. Barrios, who is now 

 the Chief Magistrate of the country, has been its ruler for 

 eight years, and has during that period inaugurated and 

 I consummated many reforms and advanced the condition of 

 his people in every respeot. He has established schools and 

 colleges for their education, and has endeavored in every way 

 to promote the interests of his country and the welfare of 

 his people. 



The City of Guatemala is connected by railway with the 



port of San Jose, on the Pacific slope. A railroad also 



connects the port of Champerico with Retalhuleu. Both of 



1 these towns are immediately joining the coffee districts of 



I the Pacific slope. The whole country enjoys perfect tele- 



I graphic and postal communications. The City of Guatemala 



has a population of 06,000, and is the largest city iu Central 



America. The elevation is 4,S00 feet above the sea, giving a 



climate that is pleasantly cool the year round. 



THE SHIPMENT OF COFFEE 



amounts to nearly 400,000 quentals, or 40,000,000 pounds per 

 annum. The two estates of El Parvenir and Los Mercer- 

 des are among the largest in the world. The first is tho 

 property of the President, and when all the crop is in full 

 bearing will yield 30,000 quentals. or 3,000,000 pounds 

 per annum. Los Mercerdes, situated iu the Costa Cuca 

 District, is one of the largest and most profitable. 



In Ceylon, in Southern India, which is the third largest 

 coffee producing country iu the world, and in which Mr. 

 Forsyth spent six years, there are no plantations approaching 

 in size or quantity of growth those of Guatemala, 



Mr. Forsyth is an expert tropical agriculturalist, and is 

 intimate with the coffee in Java and the Fiji Island, and 

 is satisfied that nowhere arc the conditions for its cultiv- 

 ation moresuitable than'in Guatemala. The elevation is 

 from 3,000 to 5,000 feet, with an annual rainfall of from luif 

 to 120 inches, and a soil of a deep chocolate loam. 



Most of the coffee finds a market in London, where it comi - 

 in close competition with that of</eylou and .lava. The pro- 

 ducers are anxious to establish :i Inr^o trade with America 

 ae it is nearer home and less liab'e to the damages oi Bea 

 transportation. Coffee is a sensitive bean to outside influ- 

 ences, ami will absorb the aroma of hides or other articles 

 stowed in its vicinity. It commands a higher price in tho 

 London mart, which has been another cause of shipping 

 there. 



THE SUQAE PRODUCTION" 

 of Guatemala is also enormous. It is, in fact, one of tho 

 countries called the home of sugar. All the conditions of 

 the country are favorable to the growth of cane. It is uo\y 



