538 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [February i, 1888. 
in the exports; but perhaps it would be enough 
to say that the Java exports may analyse double 
(in place of three or four times) the value of 
Ceylon barks. In that case, the estimated increase 
in the Java export for 1888 would be equal to 
about 2 million lb, of Ceylon bark, and if we do not 
ship more from Colombo than 9 or 10 millions for 
this calendar year, we may count on a comparative 
decrease in the available quantity from the two 
countries equal to 2 million lb. of Ceylon average 
quality. For the succeeding year 1889, the antici- 
pated increase from Java (equal to 3 million lb. 
of our bark) will also probably be nearly met by 
another falling-off in shipments from Ceylon. But 
if not, there is the growing consumption of quinine 
sufficient to make the demand equal to any differ- 
ence. The prospects of cinchona bark owners are 
therefore not at all so gloomy as we feared from 
the previous Java report. 
*H» — 
STATISTICS OF CINCHONA BARK AND 
PEICES OF QUININE FKOM 1880 TO 1887. 
The figures compiled by Messrs. C. M. and C. 
Woodhouse (which will be found following after 
this) are very interesting, and to the cin- 
chona grower, while painful in some respects, are 
yet in others hopefully suggestive. The total im- 
ports of bark into the United Kingdom in 1880 
were under 9 millions of pounds, the exact figures 
being 8,917,776, of which Ceylon supplied only 
1,140,000, or about 13 per cent. Our contribution in 
1881 was remarkably smaller, only 834,624 lb. in 
a total of no less than 14 millions. The percentage 
of Ceylon bark in 1881, therefore, was only 6 per 
cent, so that no wonder, if the world was taken 
by surprise and the market disorganized by our 
subsequent performances — performances which beat 
even the cheap cuprea bark of South America out 
of the market. The great rise to 14 millions of 
pounds imported into Britain in 1881 against less 
than 9 millions in 1880 must have been very 
largely due to increased supplies of cuprea bark, 
which, though it possessed the qualities of that from 
cinchona trees, was really not a cinchona bark. The 
demoralization of the market which cuprea bark 
initiated was speedily brought to a culminating point 
by a perfect flood of Ceylon cinchona bark, so much 
of it branch and twig stuff of poor quality that we see 
Messrs. Woodhouse reckon the proportion of quinine 
(apart from the other alkaloids) at only 1 per cent 
average for the whole. The disorganizing process 
has its history in such figures as the following :— 
In 1882 the bark imported in Britain was 15,600,000 lb., 
of which the Ceylon quota was 2,561,000, or 16 per 
cent. In J 883 Ceylon made a leap to 5,360,000 lb, 
out of a total of a little over 13 millions, Our 
proportion in that year was, therefore, 40 per cent 
of the whole. In 1884 Ceylon gave 8,742,000 lb, to 
a total import of 11,848,000, our percentage rising 
to 75 per cent. In 1885 Ceylon alone gave more 
than the total of 1884, the proportions being : — 
From Ceylon .. 11,914,000 
„ other countries 2,433,000 
So that the Ceylon percentage suddenly sprung 
to 82 per cent, perplexing dealers and dis- 
maying speculators. In 1886 Ceylon in- 
creased its supply and other countries fol- 
lowed suit, the result being a total import of 
16,281,000 lb (nearly twice the figure for 1880), of 
which Ceylon contributed no leBs than 12,872,000, 
or 80 per cent. For 1887 there are estimates of lower 
quantities from Ceylon and what have now become 
minor sources of supply. We need scarcely remind 
our readers that the highest figures given for Ceylon 
bark in any one year, nearly 13 millions of pounds, are 
short by some millions of pounds of the total exports 
from Ceylon. Of course some of our bark went to 
America and other markets, and it looks as if in count- 
ing by bales, Ceylon gets credit for less bark than she 
really sent to England. Suffice it that we swamped 
the markets of the world, conferring simultaneously 
untold benefits on humanity by compelling a reduction 
in the price of Howard's quinine of more than 75 per 
cent, or from 12s per ounce in 1880 to under 3s, quota- 
tions having been so low, indeed, recently as 2s 3d. 
Simultaneously we have reduced the value of the unit 
of quinine in bark against ourselves and all other pro- 
ducers from 2s in 1880 to 3d. now and even less 1 
The encouraging figures for planters who still have 
bark to harvest and sell are those which represent the 
decrease in branch and the increase in root bark : 
the latter especially as showing the large propor- 
tion of trees which are neither shaved nor coppiced 
but finally taken out of the ground. The figures 
for a special property are particularly striking : 
the proportion of root bark being over 50 per cent 
of all harvested in two separate years, and 40 and 46 
in two other years. The process is increasing and 
will increase more and more as tea attains the 
bearing age. Ceylon, which is going so fast ahead 
of Java in tea growing, will, probably, a few years 
hence, cease seriously to compete with the Dutch 
Colony as a producer of cinchona bark. Meantime 
we must say we cannot pretend fully to under- 
stand a second set of figures which the Messrs. 
Woodhouse give for Ceylon cinchona, and which 
tend to show that far more (in 1886 and 1887 
nearly twice as much) Ceylon bark was brought to 
auction than was imported, thus : — 1886 : 
imported 12,872,000 lb. ; brought to auction 
21,299,000. We suppose the meaning of the problem 
is, that the different qualities are reduced to 1 lb. 
for every unit of quinine, that alkaloid varying 
in Ceylon bark from £ per cent in branch to 1£ in 
root and stem and 3 per cent in renewed. If what 
is reported from "Netherlands India" be true, as 
to the richness in quinine of even the hybrid cin- 
chonas, we fancy the average for Java-grown bark will 
henceforward be at least 4 per cent. We do not forget 
the quotations of 8 to 12 per oent, but Mr. Moens 
found such qualities rare. But even an avebage 
of 4 per cent ought to enable Java to take first 
place in the world as a source of cinchona bark. 
In Ceylon we have grown some good officinalis 
and a limited quantity of rich ledger as at Yarrow. 
But in Java the conditions of soil, and perhaps 
climate, seem as superior for ledgeriana and its 
hybrids as the conditions here, labour included, are 
for fine tea. So let each colony go ahead with 
what suits it best. If the best tea in the world 
is conceded to Ceylon, she can well afford to let Java 
have the credit and the profit of the best bark. 
CINCHONA BARK STATISTICS. 
(By Messrs. G, M. & G. Woodhouse of London.) 
Total imports into U. K: in 1880, 8,917,776 lb.; 1881, 
14,040,096 lb.; 1882, 15,599,920 lb.; 1883, 13,095,152 lb.; 
1884, 11,848,592 lb. ; 1885, 14,347,648 lb. ; 1886, 
16,281,104 lb.; 1887 (9 months), 12,729,024 lb. Of 
which from Ceylon : in 1880, 1,140,048 lb.; 1881, 
834,624 lb.; 1882, 2,561,216 lb.; 1883, 5,360,320 lb ; 
1884, 8,742,160 lb. ; 1885, 11,914,000 lb. ; 1886, 
12,872,384 lb.; 1887 (9 months), estimated, 10,416,7501b. 
Value of unit of Quinine : in 1880, Is lOd to 2s 2d ; 
1881, Is 2d to Is 9d ; 1882, 9d to Is 2d ; 1883, 
4id to 9d ; 1884, 5d to 9d ; 1885, 4d to 7id ; 1886, 
3d to 5Jd ; 1887 (9 months), lid to 4d. Manufacturer's 
quotations for Quinine. — Howard's in oz. bottles : in 
1880, lis to 12s 8d ; 1881, 8s to 12s 6d ; 1882, 8s 6d 
to 10s; 1883, 7s 6d to 8s; 1884, 4s 3d to 8s; 1885, 
3s 4d to 4s 8d ; 1886, 2s 6d to 3s 4d ; 1887 (9 months), 
2s 3d to 2s Sd. 
