400 



RUBIACE^E 



efforts of the Dutch Government and the Government of British 

 India. Extensive plantations of cinchona are now flourishing, to the 

 extent of several million trees of the more important species, on the 

 Neilgherry Hills and in the valleys of the Himalaya in British 

 Sikkin. The tree is also cultivated in Ceylon, Java, Jamaica (Blue 

 Mountains), and other countries. 



VARIETIES. There are about twenty varieties of cinchona barks, and it is 

 a very difficult matter to distinguish them, since they have been and 



FIG. 228. Cinchona officinalis Branch. 



are now changed so much by grafting and crossing. The varieties 

 generally used and best known are: C. succirubra Pavon, C. cali- 

 saya Weddell, C. ledgeriana Moens, C. lancifolia Mutis, and C. 

 officinalis Hooker. 



The success of the Dutch planters of Java has been so pronounced 

 that the greater portion of cinchona bark comes from this place, 

 leading varieties being ledgeriana and succirubra bark. In Java 

 great care is exercised in the cultivation. The trees are allowed to 

 reach the age of twelve years before the bark is collected. The 



