39 



incised. The product is most extensively employed in Japanese and 

 Chinese lacquer-work. (Spons' Encyclopaedia.) 



A few of each species can be distributed from the Public Gardens 

 on application to the Director. 



• 



THE PROSPECTS OF CINCHONA. 



Mr. Boehringor confirms the Ceylon Observer's view of the great 

 encouragement now offering to cultivate cinchona — and especially hy- 

 brid cinchonas — in Ceylon. He points out that the bye-product, cin- 

 chonidine or ciochonine — at one time compaiatively valueless — is now 

 as much thought of as sulphate of quinine itself; and further that it is 

 in Ceylon, rather than in Java bark such a bye-product is chiefly found. 

 He would therefore advise the planting up of a hardy hybrid variety 

 and there is every prospect of prices improving rather than going back, 

 although already they are double what they were some time ago. The 

 Uniied States alone with Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines on 

 their hands, are bound to be very large customers; but apart from this, 

 quininf* is now utilised in so many directions that a steady and growing 

 consumption is assured. We would strongly urge Ceylon planters in 

 the medium and higher and especially in the Uva districts, not to ne- 

 glect the planting of cinchona. — (^Planting Opinion.) 



FERTILISERS FOR PINE-APPLES. 



Conditions of soil, rainfall, etc., vary so much in Jamaica that it is 

 important that experiments should be carried on in different districts 

 with fertilisers for pine-apples and other products. 



The following is a communication received from Mr. C. E. Smith 

 Bog Walk, and it is hoped that others who are experimenting in any 

 direction will contribute their results for publication: — 



" I would not care to express an opinion as to the best fertilisers to 

 use in Jamaica because the soils vary so greatly. Here in St. Thomas 

 ye Vale I have experimented extensively with all sorts of ingredients 

 and all kinds of coml)in;itir)iis o[ the same. The severe storms of last 

 fall made these experiments decidedly inconclusive but the best results 

 I have so far obtained have been from 550 lbs. of C-otton Seed Meal per 

 acre supplemented with 100 lbs. high grade (90 to 95 per cent.) Sul- 

 phate of Potash at time of flowering. I do not seem to get any results 

 whatever from application of phosphoric acid. Of course 1 cannot say 

 how it might be in other parts of the island. As a matter of fact I find 

 the whole subject of fertilisers much more complicated here in Jamaica 

 than on the comparatively barren sands of Florida. I feel that careful 

 experiments are of great importance for I think it is easy to apply use- 

 lessly, expensive ingredients which are not required. 



" Stable manure should never be used on pines — no matter how 

 thoroughly rotted. I mean by 'stable manure' the droppings from 



