S16 
Selections. 
[no. 2, NEW SERIES, 
" The details in the process of drying also vary slightly in the 
two cases ; the thinnest pieces of bark from the branches or small 
trunks, intended to make the quilled cinchona, are simply exposed 
to the sun's rays, and of themselves take the desired form, which is 
that of a hollow cylinder ; but the bark taken from large trunks, 
which is to constitute the flat cinchona, or, as it is called, tahla or 
'plancha, must necessarily undergo a certain degree of pressure dur- 
ing the process of desiccation, without which it would become mis- 
shapen, or take a cylindrical form a.s in the preceding case. To 
effect this, after first exposing the pieces of bark to the sun, they 
are placed one on the other in crossed squares, in a similar man- 
ner to that practised in timber-yards i'h the arrangement of the 
planks of wood, and on the top of this pile a heavy weight is 
placed. This process is repeated for several days until the bark is 
completely dried. 
" The above process is that most commonly adopted in preparing 
the cinchonas ; but it will be easily comprehended that this must 
vary, in some degree, according to the locality, or the nature of 
the tree operated upon. In many places the bark is not pressed 
at all, or but imperfectly so, and it is then generally out of form or 
slightly curled. The peridermis is often but partially removed, or 
simply scraped. Finally, whether it be accidental, or whether it 
be done with the view of augmenting the weight, there frequently 
remains a certain quantity of moisture in the bark, which greatly 
deteriorates it. It thus appears that cinchonas which would have 
presented the same characters if similarly prepared, may, accord- 
ing to the circumstances, vary very greatly. In any of these cases 
the labour of the cascarillero is by no means ended, even when he 
cut off the branches, taking care to leave the terminal branch ; but those whom 
I have known have always candidly confessed that they found the most simple 
method to be that of cutting the trees down, and this, I believe, has been the 
uniform practice Thousands of quintals of cinchona bark have been thus left to 
perish in the forests ; and it has only been since the inutility of the practice has 
been proved by chemical analysis that it has been discontinued. It is not to be 
considered, however, that the bark of old trees contains as much of the active 
principle as those which have only arrived at maturity. There are limits between 
^^•hich all are good ; indeed; none ought to be rejected. 
