86 ST. HELENA 



Octobtr. November. 



Mean minimum . . . 5i2o' Mean minimum . . 54i3' 



Mean maximum . . . 6i24' Mean maximum . . 63 "4' 



Highest temperature . 67o' Highest temperature . 72o' 



Lowest temperature . 5io' Lowest temperature . S3o' 



Mean daily variation . 83' Mean daily variation . 89' 



Greatest daily variation . i4o' Greatest daily variation i6o' 



Seedlings to the number of 1,500 were removed from the propa- 

 gating house at Plantation and placed under a temporary shading 

 of fern leaves at Newfoundland, where they stood till beds were 

 ready. The beds were formed on terraces on the hill-side at about 

 250 feet below the summit, the soil here being a light vegetable 

 mould of a reddish colour. The plants were then carefully set out 

 in the beds in rows six inches apart. No shading was at first given; 

 but when severe drought set in and they appeared to be suffering 

 from the power of the sun, I had tree-fern fronds stuck in all over 

 the beds to shield them. The drought still continued, so I removed 

 them to other nursery beds which we had prepared at the top of 

 the Peak : in this case more under the shade of the forest, and in a 

 damper, cooler situation. I did not however remove all ; thereby 

 I had an opportunity for testing the fitness of the two localities. 

 The plants were treated in precisely the same manner in both cases, 

 with this result : Of those shifted to the new situation, not more 

 than five or six per cent, died, whereas of those remaining in the 

 lower ground more than half perished. So we abandoned the lower 

 and confined ourselves entirely to the Peak, where we succeeded 

 without difficulty. After establishing these nurseries and making 

 walks through the forest to facilitate future operations we proceeded 

 to prepare ground for permanent planting. It was found that 

 shelter and shade are both highly essential to the success of cinchona 

 in the earlier stages of their growth ; and as it seems there is no 

 better way of securing these than by allowing a portion of the 

 native forest trees to stand, I made it a point in preparing for planting 

 never to destroy more of the indigenous vegetation than is necessary 

 in order to give room to the young plants. By this system the ground 

 is shaded and retains more moisture than if laid open to the sun by 

 clearing away the forests, and the young cinchonas are in a com- 

 paratively cool and damp atmosphere. From this, do not infer that 

 the plants are under dense foliage, or in the drip of high trees, for 

 in the one case we find they become very delicate and slender, and 

 in the other die away altogether. Independently of shading, I find 

 it necessary to have them shaded with tree-fern leaves. This 

 serves to keep the earth and air cool, and consequently to prevent 

 evaporation. Preparing the ground for the reception of the plants 

 is a simple and easy operation. The ground is very soft and loose, 

 and a spade may be forced down by mere hand-pressure. Pits of 

 about three feet in diameter and from eighteen inches to three feet 

 deep, are prepared at distances of from six to nine feet apart, varying 

 on account of forest -trees, etc. This was done during the dry season 



