Dec. I, 1885.] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 



421 



TUe analyses of the sis samples are aunexeJ: — 



1-^ V. 



Total... 5»7 7-33 TIG 733 563 CSG 

 It will be seen that the mossing his improveJ in 

 e.-ich case the three varieties of bark, and the im- 

 provi-ment has not only been in the total alkoloid but ' 

 al!«o in quinine. From the analyses of such a small num* 1 

 ber of trees it would be injudicious to form too 

 strong an opinion; but I think it shows generally (1) 

 that old and original trees still increase their alkaloids 

 bv mossing, il) that mossed barks are increased by 

 further mossing, (3) that renewals continue to im- 

 prove. 



19. The scales which form on the outside of Ledger 

 bark/i, and which are readily detached when the sample 

 is dry. have been considered by some planters to be 

 the richest portion. From the sample of Ijcdger re- 

 cti i id from the Wyuaad, I was able to remove I 

 „,- ;.. T if the scales to analyse. It afforded quinine 

 juidine 62, quiuidine Oil, ciochouine O'OG, 

 alkaloids nm ; total 4-58 per cent. The 

 ana.j.-.3 H very 'tic of this species, but it 



will be seen tL - alkaloids only amount to 



about half the q- ,. --^ud in the entire bark. 



19. 27k oih of Cmciicna, bark. — In every analysis of 

 bark it has been my custom to determine the amouut 

 of ash. The average of over 100 estimations of all 

 the kinds of bark that have come under my notice, 

 I find to be 3o0 per cent. As a rule young and 

 branch harks are the highest, and old barks are lowest 

 in their amount of mineral matter. 



20. Besides the work of a quinological nature I 

 have to report on the investigation of some other 

 plant products which you have from time to time 

 forwarded to me. The apparatus and chemicals I 

 have at my disposal are not suiiicicnt to make com- 

 plete researches into these -specimens as I think the 

 nature of the work requires. But as there might be 

 gome interest in the work already done, the fol- 

 lowing notes are given. 



21. H'<iras. — The resinous and powdery glands 

 covi-ring the i;>ods of i-V. .uingia cvngesta afford a very 

 |)eniianent dve and much resemble in appearance the 

 Kamala of the rharmacop«i!as. A proximate analysis 

 of this bubstance gave the composition as follows: — 



Moisture 344 



Kfetius 7310 



blatters soluble in water ... 8'20 



Cellulose 9-60 



Volatile oil trace. 



Ash 603 



Total... 100-37 



Tlie coloring principle resides in the resin which 

 is so'nb!'* in rth'T. alcohol, benzol, chloroform and 

 cau- ' "1. Wlien a concentrat- ' 



solii to stand for a day r 



a m.i - . a . crystals, similar to thosij _...... 



by Doctor Anderson in "Kamala" (el:in'U from the 

 fruit of an E'!i)1iorljiaceous plant). \\'hr.n th"; color- 

 ing matt "". -s was examined - ■ with 

 that of '.' means of a - the 

 amount u; -. .j — :i was identical ;.. ^^ .. .-c, all 

 the spectrum was darkened throughout except the 

 re"l end which alone was visible. .V dy-bith was 

 made of the \\'araF. and pieces of c .. wool 

 and silk were immersed. The color - that 



of a bright orange-brown, and tl>e t; .. . d was 



much superior in the animal fabrics as silk and wool, 



than in the vegetable tissues of cotton and Imen. In 

 these respects it resembles the dyeUig properties of 

 Kamala, As a commercial undertaking, however, it 

 would not be profitable to collect Waras, as the 

 amount obtained from the plants is so small in pro- 

 portion compared with the yiehl of Kamala, 



22. The (taxes (J Erythro-rylon Coca. — I'lie uses to 

 wluch cocaine has been put in surgery by the Faculty 

 has rendered it desirable to test the amount and na- 

 ture of alkaloid from plants grown in India. Some 

 leaves which had been carefully drie<l in the shade 

 from trees in ISarliyar have on three occasions been 

 analysed by me. The first sample was examined by 

 Trupheme's method ; it yielded 2 per cent of an 

 alkaloid which gave no characteristic results in physio- 

 logical action. The second sample was treat^jd ac- 

 cording to Castaing's method and gave about the 

 same amount of alkaloid which produced distinct 

 numbness on the tongue, but i)r. Drake-Brockman 

 of the Eye Infirmary, JIadras, reportc<l that it pro- 

 duced a smarting when applied to the mucou.s surface. 

 A third sample had been tested by Dr. Sqnibb's 

 process which afforded SO per cent crude alkaloid, 

 and -30 per cent cocaine hydrochloratc. This had a 

 very marked numbness on the tongue and has been 

 sent to Dr. Brockman who has kindly promised to 

 report upon its value. 



» » » « 



34. 27i« funides of the Black Wattle (Acacia 

 melanoxylon) — are in the shape of pink contorted 

 bands, and were suppjsed to coutain a dye. They 

 were free from starch and tannin and yielded 6 per 

 cent 01 moisture and 2 [ler cent of ash. Their chief 

 constituent is an albuminous matter similar to the 

 white of an egg. About 30 per cent is readily ex- 

 tracted by macerating thn funieles in water. When 

 this solution is heated, the albumen coagulates and 

 the pink coloring matter is destroyed. Being of no 

 use as a dye, their peculiar office seems to be that 

 of affording nourishment to th'S seed. 



* * * * 



26. I have lately received a large quantity of in- 

 digenous gums, and other vegetible substances for 

 examination. These will be tested whenever an op- 

 portunity is afiordeil, and a report forwarded upon 

 them in due course. 



3I1SCELLA.VEOUS. 

 Okdeb — dated llth September 1885, Xo. 1016, 

 Keveuue. In the first of the papers read above, the 

 Director of Government Cinchona IMantations, I'arks 

 and Gardens, Nilgiris, submits his report on the 

 cinchona p'autations for the oflicial year 18»4-S.v and 

 the report of the (Government Quiiiologist for the 

 latter half of the same year. 

 i 2, State of the Season. — The season was ou the 

 , whole not unfavorable, although on the Dodabetta 

 i estate some damage resulted in the earlier months 

 , of the year from drought and in the months of 

 October and November from unusually heavy rain. 

 At Kadnvatam nenrly the whole of the June plant- 

 ings were destroyed by violent winds in the fnllnw- 

 1 ing mouth, but the damage done was easily rejiaired 

 later in the season. Ou the Hooker and \\Vk><I 

 1 estates the weather was all that could be de.«ired. 

 3. Condition of the Plantations. — The plantations 

 on the Dodabetta and Kaduvatam estates were 

 generally in fair condition, the trees coppice.1 last 

 year having thro%vn up shoots satisfactorily. At 

 Naduvatam the plantings of lSiS2 and 1883 are de- 

 scribe<l as looking reiuarkalily well, the result of 

 their having been liberally maunreil. It Is presumed 

 that in replanting vacant plots the intention an- 

 nounced last year of confining particular varieties 

 to particular plots lias been carefully carrie<l out. 

 In his present report Mr. J.aw.son proposes to convert 

 a small portion of the Xadnvatam estate into a kind 

 of botanical garden for the use of students hv 

 grouping therein all the different si)ecies and the 

 principal varieties of cinchona now growing in .South- 

 ern luilia. The siigge.stion commends itself to 

 Government and will l>e carried out, as pronose'l 

 i by means of cuttings from the trees originally Intro-' 



