Tiai 
SEM EEEE HR 
aR aet 
LEE ARER TE E 
CHINCHONA CULTIVATION IN INDIA. 41 
and thus kept in the most favourable condition, for promoting vegeta- 
_ tion... When treated in this way, our ‘seedlings have made an average 
growth in one year of over thirty inches, while many of our seedlings 
which were raised and grown in a retentive soil, have not attained the 
height of three inches in the same period. 
» “As soon as our imported plants and seedlings had attained suffi- 
cient size, they were propagated by being layered. In this way they 
were found. to root readily in about six weeks, or two months at the 
latest, and the plants being bent down, it caused them to break or 
throw out shoots from every bud along the whole length of the stem ; 
‘and-not only this, but many latent buds were developed, and a fine 
growth of young wood produced for succeeding layers and cuttings. -In 
this way each plant was treated as it gained ient size, namely, from 
eight to ten inches in height, until we had procured about 3000 layered 
plants. Beyond this, we have not extended our stock of plants for 
propagation, as we calculate that 3000 plants will always yield. as 
many cuttings and layers as we can possibly require. The principle 
of layering we have adopted. is something different from that usually 
practised, as we found the sap of the Chinchonas, when cut, flowed: so 
freely from the wound, that if merely placed into the soil, it was apt 
-to-cause mildew and rot. To remedy this, a piece of perfectly dry brick 
is placed into the cut as soon as made; this absorbs the sap, and 
‘effectually prevents the ill effects it- produced. The layers when well 
‘Tooted are removed from the parent. plant, potted off, and kept ina 
close atmosphere for a few days, until they become established. . In 
‘Temoving the layers great care must be taken, for if they are cut off 
before. the shoots have attained a good size and developed their leaves, 
the stock or parent plant is almost certain to die off.. The reason of 
this is, the sap flows into the plant with equal vigour, but cannot, be 
elaborated because of the. removal. of the leaves attached to the layer, 
‘and. consequently it ferments- and causes rot in the parent: plant. a 
"Marked and undoubted is the fact, that if our trees are at any time 
‘cut down. for their bark, not one in ten will survive; hence appears 
the necessity of the mode of cultivation detailed hereafter. 
Our object: being to produce the. largest. number. of plants in the 
shortest possible space of time, our attention was early turned to grow- 
“ing the Chinchonas. by. cuttings, and in. this respect, also, our, first 
"Opérations. were. not attended. with the success desired. . We. soon 
