November i, 1889.I THF TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
339 
the large holders of cinchona, to agree to consign 
their bark to such " House" when started, and I 
don't think there would be any great difficulty in 
getting the House to start. 
Much as you have honoured me by proposing 
my name as one of the Committee I would suggest 
that there are far larger and more influential 
cinchona planters in India than myself and that 
it would be more for the public good to appoint 
one of these. 
I am at present in communication with a large 
firm who are both bark holders in this country and 
agents for bark at home. 
I have placed my Amsterdam correspondent's 
letter before them and asked them to give me 
their mercantile opinion in the matter, and whether 
they would themselves be willing to help in the 
formation of the " House." 
There is no doubt that such " House " would pay 
simply through the commission usual on sales of 
bark. 
From Java planters we are already in possession 
of an expressed willingness to join any reasonable 
scheme of co-operation. 
There is only one objection to the scheme I now 
put before you, and this is the possibility of plan- 
ters being so heavily indebted to their agents that 
they are not at liberty to choose their consignees. 
This, however, I trust is not generally the case. 
I subjoin extracts from my Amsterdam corre- 
spondent's letter. — I am sir, yours faithfully, 
J. V. BOSENBEBG. 
*' I fully share your opinion that should co-operation 
of planters be possible considerably better prices 
for bark would very soon be realised. 
" My proposal would accordingly be that a com- 
mitted of British India and Ceylon planters be 
formed, which Committee will have to go into all 
the details and facts relating to the Indian and 
Oeylou plantations and their quinine percentages. 
When the Committee shall be thoroughly ' au fait' 
it should prooeed to Java armed with all particulars 
and let the Java planters have the needful light 
on the subject and so convince them that only co- 
operation can lead to better prices. 
" As everyone will clearly see that a co-operation 
of the kind will be of benefit to all parties, it could 
accordingly be brought about but for an obstacle, 
which has still to be overcome, and which to me 
seems far] more serious, viz : — 
" The low prices have caused great losses not to 
speak of the general distrust of cinchona cnltivation, 
which followed as a matter of course. These losses 
and the distrust they gave rise to are a hindrance 
to planters getting any fresh capital for working their 
estates. They are therefore forced to sell their crops at 
any price, which is their only means of keeping their 
estates going. Now many planters, however glad they 
would be to co-operate, in order to realise better 
prices, in some manner or other, are actually prevented 
trom doing so in view of the above disadvantages. 
To me it seema that the league you desire could 
only be formed, if in England and Holland the need- 
ful funds could be found for the establishment of a 
Cinchona Consignment Bank. 
This Bank against a charge of interest and com- 
mission would have to allow to all planters forming 
part of the cinchona co-operatioa league on receipt 
of their produce a certain advance, say a penny per unit. 
The board of the Bank would have to decide at what 
figure the unit should be kept and the Bank could 
of course settle accounts with consignees according 
to sales. 
" Iu your letter you refer to a possible disadvantage 
to consumers in case your proposal should be 
carried out, but I believe'no such fear need be en- 
tertained. It is in the interest of planters not to 
ndvance the price too much (we desire no imita- 
tion of a Copper or Tin Syndicate), and the 
following is to be borne in mind, viz. that a kilo 
of sulphate of quinine is sold here for 20 fs. that out 
of one kilo 15,000 grains of pills are made 
that the public pays 2J cents Dutch (a halfpenny), 
per pill of one grain and that according by one kilo 
sulphate is sold to consumers for 375 fs. on which 
a profit of 355 f s. is made I 
" "With a unit price of 3d, all planters would be 
satisfied and at that price, manufacturers, and the 
retail trade would still clear a splendid profit, without 
the latter having to raise their price for consumers. 
" It may be that in other countries than Holland, 
and taken wholesale, prices for consumers are cheaper; 
but no doubt these figures would still leave an ample 
margin for planters to make better prices without a 
rise for consumers being necessary. 
" At present I believe the market is wholly in the 
hands of manufacturers, the great supplies added to the 
knowledge that co-operation on the side of the planters 
does not exist, enable factories to ' bear ' the market. 
Most manufactures sell great lots, forward delivery 
and when the auctions come they make low offers 
of their manufacture, all in order to get the new 
produce cheaper and cheaper still. In their advices 
manufacturers continually point to the large stocks in 
3rd hands but they never mention that the stocks of 
bark which they themselves previously held, (viz. 
invisible stooks) have given place to large uncovered 
wants on their side. 
" I believe sufficient causes are at work to warrant 
planters in asking higher prices. We need no longer 
be afraid of South America, nor of an extension of 
plantations in Ceylon, India or Java. In spite of 
the efforts of some people to conceal the truth, the 
consumption has increased, for stocks in third hands 
have in no way swollen in proportion to the greater 
production. 
Nothing would be more gratifying to me than to 
lend you a helping hand, and should you approve 
of my scheme of a Cinchona Consignment Bank and 
further the same by recommending it both to your 
own connections and those of your friends in London, 
I could then open negociations with them and try 
to carry out the scheme." 
Coorg Coffee and Coffee undee Shade in 
Ceylon.— We have a long and interesting paper 
from Mr. J. P. Hunt of Meroara on the cul- 
tivation of coffee u nder shade on page 350 
Meantime, we attract the attention of gentlemen 
intending to experiment with coffee in Ceylon under 
shade, to the advertisement in which Mr. Hunt 
offers to supply carefully picked Nalkanaad seed. 
There is no doubt but a time of very high prices 
for coffee has set in. 
" Penny Quinine." — Some time ago, we dwelt on 
the good done by the enter-prise of this gentleman in 
making up quinine pills in small boxes and at a prioe 
within the reach of "the million" with ciroulars 
giving full information printed in all the languages of 
the East. Mr. Hicks has now organised his soheme 
into a regular business and it is this which he is 
advertising and for which he now wants responsible 
agents in every turn in Ceylon, India, the Straits 
and China. We wish Mr. Bivers Hicks a large 
measure of sucoess. We feel sure that if persevered 
with, this business must grow to be very large 
indeed. In China especially, there is room for an 
immense consumption of quinine and the Chinese 
are ready to pay for the invaluable febrifuge 
which they have practically tested as a substitute 
for the poisonous opium. Here, too, in Ceylon 
and especially in India " the million" ought to 
be able to buy penny pills of quinine very readily 
and to thank Mr. Bivers Hicks as a public bene- 
factor for making cheap quinine so universally 
available. 
