TREATMENT OF BARK 



CINCHONA 



Production 



Drying and 

 Packing. 



Qualities of 

 Bark. 



Effects of Heat. 



f 1$ to 2 inches in breadth, the whole stem being afterwards swathed 

 i moss. When the wounds have been barked over, the intervening bands 

 [i] icd off and the mossing renewed. This was invented by Mclvor 

 !i the Nilu'iri hills, and is now abandoned in favour of the shaving 

 vsteni. 



All renewed bark, whether produced by shaving or mossing, is found sharing r 

 her in alkaloid than the original bark, so that the shavin<.' process, 

 less troublesome and the cambium less liable to injury, has conic 

 into fairly general practice; and moreover the yield of alkaloid is higher 

 this than by any other method. It may, however, be added that the 

 ewed bark is never so thick as the original, and therefore less in weight. 

 becomes accordingly a question whether coppicing is not, after all, 

 most profitable system. It is certainly the least troublesome, and if 

 owed by systematic uprooting and fallowing of the land, allows of 

 plete renovation. 



Drying and Packing. As already indicated, the bark, by whatever 

 ess procured, should be dried gradually. In rainy weather this may 

 \e to be accomplished in specially prepared drying-sheds, or the bark 

 y be quickly dried in special evaporators. Sun-drying is the best, 

 orcling to the age of the plant, method of collection and drying, there 

 various grades of each botanical bark. Thus, for example, root- bark, 

 ll-bark (that from the branches), shavings, and lastly flat-bark (that from 



stems). 



Exposure to a high temperature or to prolonged action of direct sun's 

 s injures the bark. It is best, therefore, to bark the trees in dry weather, 

 dry slowly, to turn the pieces repeatedly, and to take every precaution 

 prevent moulding or fermentation. Once properly dried, the bark will 

 p indefinitely, or at all events for many months, without deterioration ; 

 in drying, the loss in weight depends on the species and method of 

 tment the average is usually from 70 to 76 per cent, of the fresh 

 ;ht. 



PRODUCTION AND MANUFACTURE. To trace, even in the very 

 iefest manner possible, the history of the discovery and the development 

 all the methods of manufacture that exist, would take many pages 

 d involve a complete review of the chemistry of cinchona. [Cf. Journ. 

 rmaceut. Soc. Gt. Brit. ; Journ. Soc. Chem. Indust. ; Chemist and 

 'gist; British and Colonial Druggist; Pharmacog. Ind., etc., etc.] 

 1888 the Government of India published for general information the 

 1 results of the experiments conducted by Sir George King and Mr. G. A. 

 ramie that may be said briefly to have resulted in the perfecting of 

 oil process of manufacture now very largely pursued. This may be 

 id to mark the turning-point of the Indian industry from that of experi- 

 nt to commercial attainment. 



Area. The area under this crop has been seriously curtailed. In 

 7-8 an official publication reviewed the then available information, 

 was ascertained that there were 4,346 acres under the crop, of which 

 per cent, were situated in Southern India. The Bengal portion was 

 94 acres, of which only 10 acres were not owned by Government. In 

 Madras Presidency, on the other hand, the State plantations repre- 

 ted but 800 acres out of the total 2,952. But during the twelve years 

 ending 1897-8 the area had fallen from 14,491 to 6,833 acres, and there is Decrewwd Area, 

 reason to believe that a temporary expansion has since taken place. This 



307 



Manufac- 

 ture. 



Indian 

 Experience. 



Production. 



Private and 



