4 



CINCHONA BARK FROM JAMAICA. 



The following correspondence on the subject of cinchona bark from Jamaica has been kindly 

 placed at the disposal of the Department by the Hon. H. H. Hocking : — 

 Copy. 



The Assistant Director, Royal Gardens, Kew, to the Honorable H. H. Hocking. 



Royal Gardens, Kew, 1st August, 1889. 



My dear Hocking, 



I received the two specimens of cinchona bark safely on the 25th June, and I communicated them 

 to Mr. David Howard, head of the firm of Howard & Sons, who was good enough to undertake to ana- 

 lyse them for me. I enclose a copy of his report herewith. You will find that No. 1, which you say is 

 from your field across the river and 6 years old next October, is of slightly better quality than No. 2 

 which is from the first field planted behind the house. The difference may be in the soil and exposure 

 or in the portion of the stem from which the bark was taken. Bark low down on the collar is the riohest 

 and it gradually falls off as you get nearest to the young branches, which contain very little quinine. 

 The yield, on analysis, of 2.23 per cent, of quinine in No. 1, equal to about 3 per cent, of quinine sul- 

 phate, is not particularly good. In 1883 officinalis bark sent by me from 9 year old trees, growing on 

 Monk«y Hill, above Latimer Plantation, yielded 5.13 per cent, of quinine (equal to 6.95 of quinine sul- 

 phate). This analysis was made by Howard & Sons on the same lines as yours. Your trees at 6 years 

 ought to give a better return than 3 per cent, of quinine sulphate, and it is quite possible they will do so 

 by the time they are more fully matured. In any case this analysis shows that your plantation is not 

 yet sufficiently matured to yield good bark, and if you were forced to strip your trees and put the bark 

 in the market now —apart from the question of low prices — you would do so at a disadvantage. I have 

 worked up the question on this side as fully as I could by sending Howard's report to Jenkins and Phil- 

 lips and to Hamilton. 



I enclose their replies. If I can obtain a sample of the South American Loxa bark, so highly 

 thought of Jby the French, I shall send you a piece. You will notice that Hamilton gives some very in- 

 teresting news respecting Ceylon shipments. You will not be ready to ship your bark for another year 

 or two so it is a good thing, the market is not likely to improve immediately. 



As this subject of Cinchona will interest Fawcett I shall be glad if you will let him see this corres- 

 pondence and take notes of it if he wishes to do so. What is true in one case is likely to be true in other 

 cases. I cannot ask Howard to analyse barks for me gratuitously often, but I felt it was worth while 

 taking up the subject just now in order to obtain definite information for the guidance of yourself and 

 other persons interested in Cinchona cultivation in Jamaica. 



(Signed) D. Morris. 



Mr. David Howard to Royal Gardens, Kew. 

 Copy. Stratford, London, E., 25th July, 1889. 



My dear Sir, 



I have completed the analysis of the Loxa bark from Jamaica, and find as follows (as alkaloids.) : 

 Quinine. Cinchonidine. Cinchonine. Amorphous. 



No. 1 2.23o/o 0.44o/o 0.04o/o 0.51o/o 



No. 2 1.74o/o 0.57o/o O.O60/0 0.55o/o 



In each case there was a trace of Quinidine. The tests are thus very much what Loxa bark of similar 

 appearance from South America would give. It is rather a Chahaguera than a Crespa or Uritusinga 

 which give the richer yield that characterises the finest officinales from the Dodabetta plantations. On 

 the other hand the percentage of cinchonidine and cinchonine do not suggest any hybridization with 

 Succirubra. 



Believe me, 



Yours faithfully, 



(Signed) David Howard. 



D. Morris, Esq., M.A., F.L.S. 



Messrs. Jenkins and Phillips to Royal Gardens, Kew. 

 Copy. 21, Mincing Lane, London, E.C., 29th July, 1889. 



Sir, 



We beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th July, enclosing oopy of a letter 

 received from Mr. David Howard giving analyses of two samples of Loxa bark from J amaica. 

 On the market now bark analyzing as under would be worth — 



No. 1 2.23o/o Quinine 2£d., 2|d. per lb. 



No. 2 1.74o/o " 2 



We shall at any time only be too happy to give you any information you may require about the 

 market here for Cinchonas. 



We may say in passing that the fine old South American H. 0. Loxa quills mentioned in the 

 letter by Mr. David Howard are sold for the French market for making wine. This bark has a pecu- 

 liar flavour and bouquet, which are recognized and well known by the Parisians, which fragrant quality 

 or bouquet is quite wanting in the Loxa bark when grown in India, Jamaica, or Java. Fine silvery 

 H.O. South American Loxa would fetch upon this market 2/2 to 2/6 per lb. 

 Thanking you for the sight of these two analyses. 



We are, &c, 



(Signed) Jenkin & Phillips. 



D. Morris, Esq., M.A., F.L.S., Royal Gardens, Kew. 



