THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [September i, 1887. 
To the Editor of the " Ceylon Observer :" 
THE CINCHONA. BAEK MABKET AND 
CHEAP QUININE. 
30th June 1887. 
Dear Sir, — The quantity of Ceylon cinchona 
bark sold in London in 1886 was 15,210,000 lb. 
In December 1886 the price of bark was higher 
than since the beginning of the year. At a sale 
in December, 3 per cent bark of mine fetched 4d 
the unit, there was keen competition at the sale 
and prices would probably have continued to rise 
but for the enormous imports from Ceylon, which 
for the first 4 months of 1887 reached 6,200,000 lb. 
The price then fell to 2fd to 3d, being a fall of 
31 per cent in 4 months. 
The imports from Ceylon in 1885 were much 
larger than in 1884. People then said the imports 
for the next year would be smaller. 
The imports from Ceylon in 1886 were much 
larger than in 1885. People again said the imports 
for the next year (1887) would be smaller. 
For the first 4 months of 1887 the imports were 
6,200,000 lb., thus promising a total for the year 
of more than for the year 1886. 
In Ceylon there are, say, 50 millions of cinchona 
trees growing, the majority being succirubra. The 
average annual yield per tree from a large num- 
ber of trees, some young, some old, some barked 
annually, some not, some coppiced, would be less 
than 4 ounces per tree of dry bark. 
The average yield from a number of trees up- 
rooted would be, say, 4 lb. of dry bark per tree, 
or 16 times as much as from trees barked as above. 
Uprooting in Ceylon is going on largely and is 
likely to increase, so that for some years to come the 
shipments are likely to be inoreasingly larger. 
The number of cinchona trees growing in India is 
about 25 millions, the majority being succirubra, 
It is known that the number of cinchona trees grow- 
ing in Java is large, that the trees are now young, and 
that in three or four years the shipments of bark 
from Java will be large. 
The shipments of bark from cultivated cinchona 
in South America are increasing. 
The bulk, however, of the bark now imported 
comes from Ceylon and India, is the produce of 
the cinchona succirubra and, therefore, of apoor kind. 
Judging by prices realized, one-fourth of the 
imports from Ceylon is composed of bark yielding 
less than If per cent. 
It is generally allowed by the bark brokers in 
Loudon who are the best judges, that could we 
relieve the European market of one-fourth of the 
quantity of bark at present imported prices would rise. 
The value of the unit may go lower than it is 
at present, but taking it at 2Jd to 3d, the 
low quality bark would be worth, say, per lb. 2fd. 
Deduct curing, shipping, and sale charges 1 d. 
Value to producer . . . . lid. 
Comparison of results to planters supposing that 
none of the low quality (below If per cent) came 
into the European market : 
Proceeds from 20 tons of Bark. 
Prices have risen lid per unit owing to low quality bark 
having been taken off the mjrket. 
£ 
*l!i tons at 4d per lb. ... ... ... 1100 
Deduct miring, shipping and sale charges at 
Id per lb. ... ... ... 135 
£965 
619 
Gain to the planter „. £346 
* 6 tons «ut of tho HO tons not being even valued. 
Proceeds from 20 tons of bark. 
Pricejas before owing to the large quantity on the 
European market. 
£ 
20 tons at 2§d per lb. ... ... ... 802 
Deduct curing, shipping and sale charges at 
Id per lb. ... ... ... 183 
£619 
With such results is it worth the planter's while 
to swamp the market with his low quality stuff ? 
I have been a cinchona planter for the last 20 
years, for the last 6 years of which period I have 
lived in England and sold my bark so that I have 
had some experience of the London market. I, for 
one, should be only too glad not to sell either in 
Europe or in the East (for if sold in the East it 
would ultimately reach Europe) any bark analysing 
less than If per cent. 
This is a vital question with all cinchona planters 
and is one which can be solved if they will work 
together. 
I have my opinions with regard to a solution and 
intend to give them, meantime I hope Ceylon 
planters may be induced to take up the subject in 
earnest. They constitute the great majority of cin- 
chona planters and it is chiefly their bark which 
is swamping the market. 
May I suggest the following facts for consider- 
ation. The enormous scope for increased consump- 
tion of cinchona bark alkaloids 
In China. — The population of China proper alone 
is 360,000,000, a great part of the country being 
more or less feverish. Colquhoun in "Across Chryse" 
writes : " Quinine is the best present any traveller 
in Yunnan can carry." " For gifts quinine &c. may 
be recommended." " A crowd of people came beseech- 
ing us for medicines. We could only give them a 
few small doses of quinine." " The magistrate had 
sent to ask us for some medicine for destroying 
the passion for the black smoke, viz., opium." 
The value of the opium consumed in China is 
14 or 15 million pounds sterling. This shows that 
the Chinese are willing to pay for what they 
want. Might not the introduction of the cinchona 
alkaloid be made to supsrsede some of this opium? 
Burma is another large country, a large portion 
of which is feverish. 
^Southern India. — Dr. Cornish, an officer who has 
lately held high appointments in South India, says 
the use of the cinchona alkaloids may be largely 
extended. 
In Tropical Africa and Southern Europe fevers 
are prevalent. The existing generation of planters 
is hardly likely to see the consumption of the cin- 
chona alkaloids much increased if it waits for the 
course of supply and demand in the countries 
(mostly uncivilized) I have named. 
The Price op Quinetum in London now is Is 9d 
per ounce, of sulphate of quinine 2s lOd per ounce. 
The Expenses op Making Quinetum in Ceylon 
from low quality bark would probably be not more 
than 4d per ounce, including cost of bark at 
market value. W. T. HODY COX. 
Green Bug in Uva. — Uva, 31st July. — We unfort- 
unately have this last scourge of the coffee and 
I may say of the coffee planter, but I do not think 
my friends should take the very serious view of the 
question which some do. I have seen green bug 
literally kill coffee trees "in Uva" but it was 
invariably on places where coffee would hardly grow 
I have not in Uva seen green bug do " serious " 
damage to coffee where the trees were healthy and 
in good cultivation at 3,000 feet or over. 
