ADVANTAGES OF CULTIVATION. 343 



they may be obtained abundantly and regularly : and it seems 1867. 

 probable that even the common dandelion may soon be honoured 

 with the cultivator's care. These, however, are examples of 

 the cultivation of plants in the country in which they are 

 indigenous. 



The introduction of the cinchona into the Dutch and British Cinchona. 

 East Indies presents an instance, and a very remarkable one, 

 of the culture of an exotic plant hitherto only know in a wild 

 state. 1 do not intend here to survey the progress of cinchona 

 plantations. Their success, however, is so promising that it 

 should stimulate further enterprise of the same kind, and espe- 

 cially the introduction to India of ipecacuanha. 



The ipecacuanha plant, CepJicelis Ipecacuanha, A. Eich., which Ipecacuanha 

 belongs to the same order as the cinchona, is a native of Brazil, 

 where it occurs in shady humid forests, lying between the 8th and 

 20th parallels of south latitude. The plant is also found in New 

 Granada, in which country, however, its root is not collected 

 to any large extent. The supply of the drug is therefore drawn 

 from Brazil, whence in 1862 it was exported to the value 

 of 11,225. 



The consumption of ipecacuanha in India is large, as may be 

 judged from the fact that the Indian Government purchased 

 3,571 Ibs. of the drug in the year 1860, 4,011 Ibs. in 1859, 2,636 

 Ibs. in 1858 and 1,386 Ibs. in 1857. We know but little as to 

 the susceptibility of the ipecacuanha plant for cultivation. In 

 the hothouses of our botanical gardens, where it is by no means 

 common, it appears as a humble plant of slow growth and tender 

 appearance. In attempting its culture in India the first object 

 should be to procure from Brazil a supply of recent mature 

 seeds, which should be transmitted to Europe in the most rapid 

 manner for distribution, it may be suggested, among the cinchona 

 cultivators in our own possessions, as well as those in the Dutch 

 East Indies and in Algeria. 



One special advantage that accrues from the cultivation and 

 preparation of medicinal plants by civilized and intelligent 

 persons, is the much better condition in which they are pre- 

 sented to commerce. As an instance of this I may cite 



