Oil DltlTOR, NARCOTICS, ETC. 



1 1. R. lencorhitum (Pall), a Siberian and Altai species, said to yield imperial 

 or whitf rhub;irl. It has striped flowers, while all others are whitish green. 



!_'. It. Caspinun (Fisch), a Russian and Altai species. 



13. It. Jiif/es, uutive of the Levant, but some say an Affghanistan or Persian 

 species. 



All these grow in the cold parts of the world, as on the Altai 

 mountains, in Siberia, Thibet, North of China, and on the Hima- 

 layan range. The rhubarb procured from one or more of these 

 species is known in commerce under the names of Russian or 

 Turkey, Chinese or East Indian, and English rhubarb. 



The plants all thrive well in a rich loamy soil, or light sandy 

 soil, and are increased by divisions of the roots or by seed. 



The extent of country from which rhubarb of one kind or an- 

 other is actually collected, according to Christison, stretches from 

 Ludull, in 77.}- east longitude, to the Chinese province of Shen-si, 

 2!) ili-grees further east, and from the Sue-chan mountains, in north 

 latitude 26 degrees, nearly to the frontiers of Siberia, 24 degrees 

 northward. The best rhubarb is said to come from the very heart 

 of Thibet, within 95 degrees east longitude and 35 degrees north 

 latitude, 500 or 600 miles north of Assam. 



The Chinese rhubarb is inferior to that of Russia and Turkey. 

 The price varies in China from 38 dollars per pieul upwards, and 

 about 1,500 piculs are annually exported, on an average at 50 

 dollars per picul. In 1844, 2,077 piculs were shipped from Can- 

 ton for Great Britain; and of 95,701 Ibs. imported in 1841, 43,640 

 Ibs. were brought from China, 8,349 Ibs. from the Philippines, 

 7,290 Ibs. from the East Indies, and 33,710 Ibs. from the United 

 States ; only 1,462 Ibs. were brought from Russia. The imports 

 from the East Indies have decreased more than 70 per cent, in the 

 last twelve years, as compared with the preceding. The wholesale 

 prices are, for round rhubarb, 8d. to 3s. per Ib. ; flat, 6d. to 

 3s. 3d. per Ib. ; Dutch trimmed, 6s. to 7s. per Ib. ; Russian 

 13s. to 13s. 6d. per Ib. 



In 1831, we imported 133,462 Ibs. from the East India Com- 

 pany's possessions, and 6,901 Ibs. from Russia. In 1843, only 

 71,298 Ibs. came from the East. From China we received, in 1843, 



The quantities of rhubarb on which duty of Is. per Ib. was paid 

 in the six years ending 1840, were as follows : 



East Indian. Foreign. 



1835 32,515 10 647 



1836 36,836 7W 



1837 44,669 5 ' 946 



1838 37,026 7493 



1839 22,575 .'. 12525 



1840 16,745 22,203 



Tl-e imports and consumption of rhubarb are thus stated in the 

 Pharmaceutical Journal: 



