346 PLANTING ENTEBPBISE IN THE WEST INDIES. [March, 



entirely failed, so far, although I have met many men who have 

 travelled through those States, interested in the subject, to hear . of 

 any plantation possessing, say, one hundred acres systematically 

 established with this valuable tree. 



The fact is, that for the successfal and remunerative culture of 

 cinchona plants in a new country sach a peculiar combination of 

 elevation, soil, and climate is requisite, that there are, comparatively, 

 few areas wherein all these can possibly exist. Hence, we find that 

 very few tropical countries can successfully enter upon the industry, 

 and of these, so far as my experience goes, only two or three possess 

 in so eminent a degree all the favourable conditions enjoyed by 

 Jamaica. 



As confirming this view by independent testimony, T may mention, 

 that a Ceylon proprietor and planter, with some twelve years' 

 experience in the cultivation of coffee and cinchona, after carefully 

 inspecting the Jamaica Government plantations, refers to the growth 

 and characteristics of the trees as follows : ' I am perfectly convinced 

 that were the bark of two equal-sized Cinchona trees, one Ceylon, 

 the other Jamaica, weighed, the Jamaica tree would outweigh the 

 Ceylon tree considerably : this is particularly noticeable in young 

 trees. The bark itself has a brighter and more taking colour, looks 

 richer in quinine, and altogether healthier. It is generally (copiously) 

 covered with lichen, and the growth of this I believe to have an effect 

 similar to mossing in developing the alkaloids. The ready way in 

 which the self-sown seedlings grow, and the number of them, surpass 

 anything I have seen in Ceylon, and prove that the Cinchona tree 

 has found a most suitable home and congenial climate on the Blue 

 Mountains of Jamaica. The land is self-drained, yet canker in the 

 root, which destroys such a large proportion of Ceylon seedlings, is 

 hardly felt, and would not probably be known were the land drained. 

 The only difficulty I can foresee is labour ; if this were removed (as 

 it easily might be, by importing coolies) I believe Jamaica would 

 produce more valuable cinchona bark for the acreage than any 

 country in the world.' 



The cost of establishing cinchona plantations in Jamaica, is 

 estimated at £35 per acre, which includes the purchase of land and 

 all expenses up to the end of the fourth year, when the first crop 

 of bark may be taken. The total yield of the plantation (deducting 

 cost of barking, curing, and shipping expenses), up to the end of 

 the ninth year, will probably be not less than £175 per acre 

 against a total outlay for planting operations for that period of 

 about £50 per acre. 



The estimate of cost is based upon land at about 5s. per acre, and 

 Creole labour at existing rates, viz., men Is. to Is. 4|d. per day; 



