516 CHINCHONA IN THE HIMALAYAS. Chap. XXIX. 



The flora of the Khassya hills bears a greater resemblance 

 to that of the hills in Sonthern India than to the Sikkim and 

 Bhotan types. Genera and species forming masses of shrubby 

 vegetation are identical with those of the Neilgherry sholas. 

 It is probable that chinchona-plantations, especially of C. 

 sueciruhra, might hereafter be formed advantageously on the 

 northern slopes of the Khassyas, but it is evident that the best 

 chances of success for the species growing at great altitudes, 

 in South America, are offered in the Himalayan districts of 

 Sikkim and Bhotan. 



With a view to the establishment of chinchona-plantations 

 in the Eastern Himalayas, plants have been forwarded by Mr. 

 Mclvor to the Botanical Gardens at Calcutta. On January 

 19th, 1862, there were at Calcutta 91 plants of C. sueciruhra, 

 all except four supplied by Mr. Mclvor ; six of C. Calls ay a 

 from Java, and 133 of " grey-bark " species, of which 106 were 

 supplied by Mr. Mclvor, and twenty-seven were raised from 

 the original South American seeds. Altogether there were 230 

 of the valuable species of Chinchonae, besides fifty-nine of the 

 worthless C. Pahudiana. It is intended to commence a chin- 

 chona plantation on the lower and outer range of Darjeeling 

 in Sikkim at once, with a propagating-house on the model of 

 Mr. Mclvor's at Ootacamund ; and afterwards to form a nursery 

 for species growing at lower elevations on the Khassya hills. 



There is another region in our Eastern dominions where 

 suitable localities may be found for the cultivation of chin- 

 chona-plants, but it is as yet too little explored, and the diffi- 

 culties of obtaining supplies, labour, and transport would be 

 too great at present to allow of the possibility of forming 

 plantations for some years to come. I allude to the recently 

 formed province of Pegu. Dr. Brandis, the Conservator of 

 Forests in PegTi, reports that it will be preferable to delay 

 the introduction of chinchona-plants into that province, until 

 their cultivation shall have proved successful in other parts. 



