135 



Medicinal Plants. 



SUGGESTIONS FOK FURTHER EXPERIMENTS. 



Based upon previous tests, and experiments regarding the cultivation of 

 cinchonas in California, and the thus far ascertainable habits and peculiarities 

 of the cinchonas it may be stated that the more valuable species and 

 varieties will thrive in certain localities of Santa Barbara county, inclusive of 

 the various islands in Santa Barbara bay. Attempts should be made with the 

 most hardy of the valuable species and varieties. While the previous attempts 

 with C. calisaya and variety were almost complete failures, and it appeared 

 that they were especially susceptible to frost, it is nevertheless advisable to 

 make further attempts. According to von Muller, this species is unusually rich 

 in the alkaloid quinine and is the most valuable species in cultivation in Bengal, 

 where it is said to brave occasional night frosts. C. cordifolia, Mut., is said 

 to require high and constant atmospheric moisture, for which reason it would 

 perhaps not do well in most of the possibly suitable localities in California. 

 C. nitida, R. et P., is said to be one of the most hardy species and should 

 therefore be tried. C. officinalis is said to be the hardiest of all, and it is especially 

 adopted to a moderately dry climate. A variety of this species known as the 

 crispilla cinchona will endure an occasional temperature as low as 27 

 degrees F. According to P. von Muller C. condaminea, Humb., is the same as 

 C. officinalis. C. succirubra, Poa., which is the most exclusively grown cinchona 

 in the Bengal mountains, is especially rich in quinine and cinchonidine. It is 

 quite sensitive to cold, but will resist occasional slight frosts (a little below 

 32 degrees F.). C. lancifolia is somewhat more hardy than succirubra, but not 

 quite as hardy as C. officinalis and its varieties. 



The following is an outline of the plan which should be followed in 

 order to make the experiments a success. Large quantities of fresh seeds of 

 the more hardy and more valuable species aud varieties of cinchona should be 

 obtained from Java, India and Jamaica. These should be sown in mat-covered 

 or glass-covered cold frames, filled with a compost of a mixture of turfy loam 

 and fibrous peat (to which has been added a little sand and charcoal). The 

 bottom temperature should be kept at about 60 degrees F. Experience has 

 taught that they will not germinate as readily in hot-beds. The soil should be 

 kept well moistened, not wet. The seedlings should be pricked into beds of 

 suitable size and should be kept under glass for two or three years, at a tem- 

 perature of about 50 degrees to 60 degrees F., with moist air and adequate soil 

 moisture. The soil should be rich and well drained. The plants should be 

 protected against frost and excessive heat. They should not be kept in the 

 hot-house, exposed to a maximum temperature, as that renders them undesirably 

 delicate and susceptible to the lower temperatures to which they are to be 

 exposed later. 



From what has already been said it is evident that the major attention 

 should be given to the most hardy species and varieties ; for example, the so- 

 called crispilla variety of C. officinalis. Less hardy varieties would be largely 

 for purely experimental purposes, though it is evident that C. nitida, C. ledgeriana 

 and C. lancifolia would succeed in southern California. Testing, at the outset, with 

 the less hardy varieties would only result in failure and cause discouragement. 



During the summer of the third year (after sowing) the cinchonas (kept 

 in the frames into which they had been pricked) should be kept in the open. 

 If the tests are made in San Francisco, they should be protected against severe 

 " northers." In the fall of the third year, at the beginning of the rainy season, 

 the most thrifty of the plants should be transferred to their permanent local- 

 ities, properly packed, shipped and handled. 



