February i, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
547 
draw their supplies from our commissariat on the 
coast, because they found the article devoid of aroma 
as compared with the new coca they got on the 
plateaux. Still the bioycle-clubs in England and 
France believe they strengthen the physique of their 
members by a docoction of old coca leaves. The 
Swedish army tried this plant for strengthening the 
troops on experimental marches, especially with a 
view to save water, but the benefit derived would 
have been much greater had I sent tho Government 
the essence from La Paz instead of a serroon of 
leaves that I bought at Arica before I had much 
experience of this plant and its Indian devotees. — 
Yours <&o., 
E. S. THOMASSEN, ojb., k.r.o.s., m.s.a. 
CINCHONA BARK CARRIED BY THE CEY- 
LON RAILWAY FOR A NUMBER OF 
YEARS: 
A ORE AT FALLING -OFF EXPECTED BY MR. JAM S3 
SINCLAIR. 
Bearwell, 20th Jan. 1889. 
Dear Sir, — By the courtesy of the General Manager 
of the Ceylon Government Railway, I have been fur- 
nished with a complete statement of the loadings of 
cinchona bark at every station on the line from 
1883 down to December 31st, 1887, and as it is de- 
sirable that those who still have plantations should 
know all that it is possible with reference to the 
available quantity for harvesting during the next 
few years, I venture to send you the statement 
referred to for pub ication. The bark carried by 
tho railway during last year, notwithstanding an in- 
crease of 1(52 tons from Nanuoya, shews a decrease 
of about 1,000 tons as against the previous year, 
indicating that the beginning of the end of cinchona 
is not, far nil' in the districts served by all stations be- 
low Nanuoya. 
On examination it will be seen that the great 
falling-olT is at tho stations below Hatton. Those 
acquainted with tho districts referred to, and who 
can recall tho immense areas under cinchona some 
few years ago, which are now almost denuded, will 
havo no necessity to refer to the figures supplied by 
the railway for a verification of the prediction that 
wo are on the ovo of a very considerable falling-oil' in 
shipments. But let those who know little of such dis- 
tricts as Maskeliya, Ambagamuwa. Dolosbage, Pussel- 
lawa, and those round about to the east of Kandy, 
glance at the figures of the loadings for four years 
pint at tho stations serving thorn, and it becomes 
at once apparent that if these loadings cease, and 
Dimhula-Dikoya and Uva cannot maintain and in- 
crease their yield very materially, there will occur 
presently a collapse in shipments, coming upon 
us in tho same unexpoctod manner as tho heavy 
yields of recent years. 
Hitherto it has been impossiblo to frame any 
reliablo estimate of output; but with tho foregoing 
facU bofore us, and tho holp of Mr. Pearce's 
figures, thoro is matorial for a fairly acourate fore- 
cast, provided no violent fluctuations in the price 
of tho articlo takes place. 
Tho railway carried 5,fif>2 tons in 1881) against 
l,«7"> tom lust year, a liilliiigolT of 1,000 tons, 
ehirily from tho dclicioncy at stations below Hatton. 
This, in connection with the published weekly rail 
tratlic, has enabled mo to uiako an ostimato for 
the current yoar, which will, I think, bo found near 
tho mark. 
You will h«o by tho statement sont you, that I pn' 
ill ' total to bo carried by rail at 2.H20 tons. Owing 
to tho commercial yrar ending 30th September and 
that of the railway on tho 3 1st December, it may 
not bo strictly accurate to take all iho bark as 
Mining from IKri. whiuh is not a«countod for 
by tho railway ; but assuming it to bo noar 
enough for the purpose, the total shipments for 
1880 were 15,361,912 lb., as against carried by rail 
13,108,480 lb., leaving to the credit of Uva 
2,250,132 lb. 
During 1887 total shipments 14,389,184 lb., as 
against carried by rail 10,020,000 lb., leaving for 
Uva 3,409,184 lb. 
On arriving at the estimate for the current year, 
I credit Uva — that is Madulsima, Badulla, Haputale 
— with the same as last year, namely 3,500,000 lb., 
and to the railway as pet my estimate 0,334,720 lb., 
or a total of 9,834,720 lb. 
I think I ought to draw your attention to the 
fact that the falling-of'f at Talawakele for 1887 
would have been much more pronounced, but that 
a lot of bark from Dirabula and Dikoya must have 
found its way by road to Nawalapitiya during the 
slip, and that the increase of 100 tons at Nanu- 
oya is due more to the Udapussellawa bark finding 
its way by road to Nawalapitiya and Gampola 
during that time than any increase from that dis- 
trict, still further emphasizing the fact that the 
districts below Hatton are now all but exhausted. 
I have no doubt, with your faculty for drawing 
oorrect conclusions from statistics, you will be able 
to give the publio some interesting information 
regarding the position of this product of Ceylon 
at the moment. — Yours truly, 
JAMES SINCLAIR. 
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HEROIC DOSES OF QUININE. 
Colombo, 18th Jan. 1888. 
Dear Sir,— In connection with your article re 
large doses of quinine, it may interest you to learn 
that a fellow-pas-ienger on board the N. L. Lloyd's 
S- S. " Braunschweig " who complained of headache 
and lassitude was recommended to try a small 
dose of quinine, but as ho had never taken any, 
ho consulted the doctor, who gave him two grammes 
or about 31 (thirty-one) grains, o/ir tlott. When in- 
formed by Mr. that tlu doctor had given him as 
much as would cover two two-shilling pioces. I 
replied that it could not havo been quinine of tho 
same quality as Howard's or oven German quinine, 
