Drugs and 



136 



The selection of permanent localities is prime importance. To this end 

 some one sufficiently competent should visit the coast regions of Santa Barbara 

 county and the Santa Barbara bay islands and select some six or seven localities 

 meeting the following conditions :— (1) Most suitably protected against dry winds ; 

 (2) a maximum of annual rainfall ; (3) comparative absence of frost or frostiness 

 and freedom from very hot weather; (1) free and deep soil drainage; (5) rich 

 soil; and (6) possible facilities for irrigation. The plants should be taken to 

 these localities, by the quickest and shortest route, and should be transplanted 

 at once under the direction of the one who selected the localities. They should 

 be planted about eight feet apart and the soil kept free from weeds and fre- 

 quently cultivated. The various plantations should be in charge of responsible 

 and competent gardeners. Of course the thousand and one details, every one 

 of which is of vital importance, cannot be mentioned in this paper. But. if the 

 suggestions herein given are followed, there is no reason whatever why the 

 enterprise should not succeed. 



Since the atmospheric condition, moisture, rainfall, etc., are more suitable 

 northward of the area mentioned, it is desirable to make attempts to develop 

 hardy varieties. This may be done as follows :— Select the area farthest north 

 at which the most hardy variety will survive (for example, the crispilla variety 

 of C. officinalis), which is approximately San Francisco. Germinate the seeds 

 as already suggested. During the summer of the third year transplant in per- 

 manent localities in the open, meeting all the requirements, with the possible 

 exception of frosts and northers. The frosts and northers may or may not kill 

 some, depending upon the severity of the special winters to which they are 

 exposed. The survivors are presumably more hardy than those which were 

 killed. From the plants which develop to maturity, seeds and cuttings should 

 be taken and similarly tested, and efforts be made to extend the station still 

 further north. Whether the range conld be extended up to Eureka in Humboldt 

 county is highly improbable. It is, however, very likely that the range could 

 be extended from San Diego or Santa Barbara county northward to points in 

 the vicinity of San Francisco bay. A drought-resisting variety could no doubt 

 be extended southward to some distance below San Diego. The writer does 

 not at this time presume to explain the most suitable methods of developing 

 frost-resisting, dry-wind-resisting and dry-soil-resisting varieties. The above are 

 mere suggestions which will of necessity be amended as the tests progress. 



ALKALOID AL STRENGTH. 



Although it cannot be foretold what the alkaloidal value may be of the 

 cinchonas which may be grown in California, it is nevertheless reasonable to 

 assume that the species and varieties successfully grown in other countries, 

 having a high percentage of desirable alkaloids, would also have a relatively 

 high percentage of the same alkaloids if grown in California. To experiment 

 with worthless varieties would only be a waste of time and energy. 



The alkaloidal strength of cinchonas is increased greatly by cultivation, 

 some species as C. ledgeriana containing as much as 13 to 26 per cent. It is 

 however, also true that while the majority of cultivated cinchonas are much 

 richer in alkaloids than the same wild growing plants, they are also very 

 variable in that respect, dependent, no doubt, upon richness of soil, methods 

 of cultivation and many other causes, many of which are as yet not well 

 understood. 



In conclusion, it may be stated that it is essential that the experiments 

 should be carefully and consistently carried out. Illy timed and illy conducted 

 experiments on a small scale will in all probability lead to nothing. To send 



