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REPORT ON THE CULTIVATION OF CHINCHONA IN BENGAL. 159 
but not so frequently as in the previous season, as many of the 
strongest-growing weeds by this time have succumbed to the hoeing 
in November. The growth of the plants is greatly favoured by a 
hoeing of the ground in November again, after the second growing- 
season is over; and if this is done in the following year, their third 
growing-season, the plants are tall and strong enough to outgrow the 
jungle, which then begins in its turn to be smothered under the dense 
foliage, at least, of C. succirubra. 
: elim Tea Association purchased 10,000 plants of C. succirubra 
in July, 1867, and all of these, which were planted on steep slopes of 
the Himalaya immediately above the Terai, are inferior in condition 
and promise to only the splendid plants of Chinchona in the Govern- 
ment plantation at Rishap, close to Rungbee. 
Chemical Analysis of the Bark.—The bark of C. suecirubra aud 
C. officinalis, referred to in the last annual report as having been sent 
to London for analysis, was analysed by Mr. Howard. The analysis 
was most satisfactory, one specimen of C. suecirubra, thirty-one months 
old, yielding no less than 7:30 per cent. of precipitated alkaloids, of 
which 3:20 was quinine and 2°27 cinchonidine mixed with a little 
quinine,—a larger percentage of alkaloids than has been found in any 
other bark of the same age. The bark of C. officinalis, taken from 
plants twenty-eight months old, gave 3:20 of alkaloids. The conclu- 
sion drawn by Mr. Howard from this analysis is, “that there is no 
reason to think the Darjeeling barks at all inferior to those grown at 
Ootacamund ; the difference of climate does not appear to have much 
effect on the alkaloids therein contained.” 
Flowering and Seeding.—A small number (270) of plants of the 
varieties of C. officinalis, planted in October, 1864, have again pro- 
duced a profusion of flowers, and already many of them are covered 
with most promising panicles of seed-vessels. A considerable amount 
of good seed was obtained from several of these plants in August and 
September, 1867. Out of 389 plants of C. succiruéra, planted in 
October, 1864, only two plants produced flowers and seed last year, 
and a few seedlings were raised from their seed. These plants, which 
were in an unhealthy state at the time of flowering, soon after became 
healthy and vigorous, and this year they have not flowered. Another 
plant of C. succirubra, from whose stem a large piece of bark was 
taken, has put forth a few flowers from one or two of the branches. 
