Chap. XXVIII. CHINCHONA-CULTIYATION. 505 



important product will be added to the resources of India, 

 Avliile the Government will have an abundant and cheap an- 

 nual supply of the most indispensable of all medicines to 

 Europeans in tropical climates, which is now only obtained at 

 immense expense, and m quantities quite insufficient to meet 

 the demand. 



In a commercial point of view the introduction of cliin- 

 chona-plants into India is likely to prove very beneficial, by 

 adding another valuable article of export to the numerous 

 products of that favoured land ; but an equal if not a greater 

 result will be derived from this important measure, in the 

 naturalisation of these healing plants in a country the inhabit- 

 ants of which suffer so severely and constantly from intermit- 

 tent and other fevers. From motives of humanity, as well 

 as from personal interest, every coffee-planter, as I have 

 before said, ought to cultivate a few rows of chinchona-plants 

 in the upper part of his clearing. Even if it is not intended 

 to rear them on account of their commercial value, yet such 

 a measure recommends itself as a duty, in order to have a 

 supply of this inestimable febrifuge constantly at hand for the 

 use of those w^ho are employed on the plantations. 



Many of the natives are ali-eady fidly aware of the febrifugal 

 virtues of Peru\dan bark, and it is to be hoped that, in all the 

 hill-districts where there is a suitable elevation and climate, 

 they will grow chinchona-trees in theii' gardens, just as is now 

 generally done with coffee in aU the villages in Coorg. For 

 the use of the natives there will be no necessity to go to the 

 expense and trouble of extracting the alkaloids, as the green 

 fresh bark is itself very efficacious. After the natives have 



Ootacamuncl are exceedingly bitter to focture of beer. They ■would no 



tlie taste, and he suggests that these doubt prove a healthy ingredient in 



leaves, which naturally faU off the beer, but it remains to be proved 



trees in succession, may be tiu-ned to wlietiier tlieir bitter would preserve 



account by being imported to England it as well as hops, 

 as a substitute for liops in the mauu- 



