BOTANICAL OPERATIONS IN JAMAICA. 303 



would be difficult to find more healthy trees in the forests of that neigh- 

 bourhood ; in about three or four years hence they may produce seeds. 

 In the meantime they can be largely increased by cuttings and layers in 

 the hands of a skilful propagator. During the months of August and 

 September, 1862, the collection was again removed to Bath. 



The plants were at this time eighteen to twenty months old, a critical 

 period for forest trees in flower-pots .under artificial treatment, and in a 

 climate, too, so uncongenial for them as that of Bath, which would have 

 soon terminated their Jives had they not soon afterwards (18th October) 

 been planted out at Mount Essex, near Bath, at an altitude of two thon- 

 sand feet, or little more. This site, as a temporary one, was had recourse 

 to to save the plants alive, until a better one could be obtained ; and so 

 far it has answered the purpose, for a majority of the plants are healthy, 

 but have not made so fast progress as could have been desired. The soil 

 is too loamy, and by far too stiff to admit of a free and rapid escape of 

 the heavy rains which fall here in torrents during the greater part of the 

 year ; the altitude is also too low for the Peruvian barks, and a few 

 of the trees have died since they were planted. The red bark thrives at 

 a much lower altitude, and being a more hardy tree, the plants are more 

 healthy ; but as they are not yet too large for removal, I would strongly 

 recommend its being done during the cool months, or as speedily as found 

 to be practicable, to the site (if obtainable) which I had the honour of 

 recently selecting and reporting upon to government. The entire eligi- 

 bility of this site has been fully proved by the success attending the inte- 

 resting experiment above-mentioned, being in the same neighbourhood, 

 with the advantage of virgin soil, which the other had not. 



A. very important fact has now been established, viz. that the climate 

 of our higher, and many of our intermediate mountains, is suited for the 

 growth of the most valuable species of quinine-yielding plant, the Cin- 

 chona succlrubra, and also a knowledge of the method of increasing the 

 plants, and the soil best adapted for their full development, has been ob- 

 tained. Another valuable discovery has lately been made in India 

 respecting the febrifugal virtues of the leaves of the red-bark, as they 

 fall from the tree ; an infusion of the leaves, in the dose of one fluid 

 ounce, was administered to the first four cases of intermittent fever that 

 occurred in the civil hospital of Darjeeling ; and in every case, the patients 

 were cured without any other medicine whatever. 



The barks of Cinchona yield as large a per centage of quinine in India 

 as they do in their native forests. These facts being established by prac- 

 tical experiment, and brought to the knowledge of the world, cannot do 

 otherwise than influence the cultivation of the plants immensely, con- 

 ferring benefits in a domestic and commercial point of view of no ordi- 

 nary importance ; and, whatever may be its destiny in this island, the 

 experiment has arrived at that stage which will admit of no further delay 

 of justice, in placing the plants in a proper clime, and under a system of 

 management that will secure success in all practical operations connected 



