April 2, 1888.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
675 
trees and tested with a result shewing about 7 per 
cent sulphate of [quinine, but the parcel which in- 
cluded bark from these particular trees, and other 
trees supposed to be equally good scarcely analysed 
3| per cent, much to the chagrin and disappoint- 
ment of the owner. From this and from the 
present data we have to go upon, I would infer 
that at no period will shipments from Java average 
an analysis of 4 per cent sulphate of quinine in any 
year; in fact I do not expect that the future 
averago of all Java bark will exceed 3 per cent. 
I do not, therefore, believe that the richness of the 
exports of Java bark is going to shut out all 
barks produced under 4 per cent from any profit 
whatever, as the writer of this Circular would lead 
some people to suppose I am rather suspicious of 
that heading to the circular '■ Amsterdam " and 
no name attached to these marvellous statements. 
I can quite understand that it is to the interest 
of some good people to so frighten all connected 
with bark, that holders and growers, fearing the 
doluge, would be urged to rush all their bark 
on to tho market, and by selling at any price 
bring about tho result so much desired by an 
interested few. I well remember the time 
when wo were told Jamaica would swamp tho 
market, but on inquiry there was found to be but 
1,000 acres planted with einehona, and only another 
1,000 acres available for the cultivation in the 
whole island. Then again Bolivia was to destroy 
the market by sending over supplies, and strange to 
Ray the Java planters thstnselves seemed more afraid 
of Bolivia than Ceylon, but why this extreme 
nervousness, if they 've got the ball in their hand, 
as the writer of that article would make us believe? 
Now, as regards acreage under cinchona in Java in 
private hands, what a scare, sir, was given to 
some Ceylon people about two years ago through 
reading in your columns that there were 170,000 
acres in Java under ledger, well-grown. I think 
the astute Chairman of the Java Planters' Associ- 
ation had the credit (wrongly of course) of leaving 
that impression behind him after his tour through 
the Ceylon hills. In the same number of the 
Tropicul Ai/rirnKurUt, as I have already quoted from, 
I find the following paragraph on page 450 : — 
" Cinchona in Java. — In Java the area planted 
with cinchona on private account is estimated at 
'21,000 acres, and the number of trees at 3,000.000, 
of which about 1,400,000 are of C. succirubra. 
The estimated crop of the year is about 1, 133,250 lb. 
The average proportion of Eulphnte extracted from 
the bark is estimated at about 3 per cent. — Indian 
Affricutturist." Now of course tho author of tho 
"Amsterdam Circular" would say the editor of the 
Indian Agriculturist or his source of information 
is quite unreliable. 1 am not so sure, however, that 
the Indian Agricuhurilt isn't considerably nearer 
the mark than the other. Certainly as regards the 
probable average analysis of Java bark. The acreage 
given however must carry a very much larger number 
of trees than three millions. As it is impossible to 
get any accurate information on tho subject, I hope 
you will kindly allow me to add my own suggestions 
as to what may be the real stato of the case, or 
approaching thereto, which cannot do harm if they 
elicit discussion. 
Let us suppose there are 20,000 acres under 
cinchona in private hands in Java. K this acreage 
carries an average ol 700 trees to tho aoro of mature 
growth, it would bo a very good return. Wo have 
then a total of II million trers, of various ages, 
of this total say 10 million trees are ledgeriaua 
species, eapablo of producing if coppiced 9g lb. of 
dry bark on an average per tree after 1889 has com- 
menced, which gives a total o( 22,500,000 lb. avail- 
able bark averaging 3[ percent. Divide this quantity 
over 4 years, which it would probably take to 
complete the harvest of these ten million trees in a 
judicious manner, and we have an annual export 
of ledger bark of 4,500,000 lb. averaging 3J per 
cent. Even supposing it were possible, and de 
sizable to harvest and export this quantity in tw- 
years' time instead of 4 years, barks under 4o 
per cent would not necesssarily become value 
less, as the above-mentioned ' Circular ' tries to rnak- 
people believe. The new stem from the coppiced 
tree has not been considered as giving any return 
for four years in these calculations. The fact 
must not be lost sight of that " ledgers " will 
have to be harvested in a totally different way to the 
Ceylon method of taking bark by shavings, as the 
renewed barks are not so rich as the original, 
and it is quite unlikely that the Dutch planters 
will proceed to cut down everything in two years, 
but will gradually feed tho market by yearly 
instalments, Tho balance of the 11,000,000 trees 
is probably made up of 4,000,000 succirubra 
variety, to be harvested in tho usual way and yield- 
ing about 14 million lb. annually and averaging 
from l.V per cent to 2 per cent. The Government 
gardens would, perhaps, yield i million lb. of ledger, 
but I have no report before me to give me any 
idea of what their yield may reach. 
From these calculations we should have therefore, 
say, in 1889 .— lb. 
Private Gardens 4,500,000 
Government 750,000 
Succirubra Crop 1,500,000 
6,750,000 lb. 
Result of Java Ckop. 
lb. Per cent. Equal to oz. 
5,250,000 at 3} 2,730,000 
1,500,000 at 1^ 420,000 
3,150,000 oz. 
Estimated consumption of quinine in world 
In 18S9 7,500,000 oz. 
1890 8.OUO.00O „ 
1891 8,500,000 „ 
1892 9,000,000 „ 
My own impression is the above figures represent 
the very utmost that Java can do in I860 and the 
three following years ; and I think I have proved 
conclusively that the market is more likely to 
Buffer from short supplies than any plethora of 
bark. I quite expect to see some well informed 
correspondent reduce my figures by aha-tkird if 
not more. Apologizing for trespassing on your 
limited space, I remain, dear sir, vouf6 faithfully, 
JOHN HAMILTON. 
AFRICAN OIL PALMS IN LOWER HAPUTALE. 
19th Feb. 1838. 
Dhak Sib, — As you generally have sent me a 
sample of the first fruit of a new product, I have 
now the pleasure of sending you what 1 believe to 
bo African oil palm nuts, grown en Rosebury 
estate. Out of about 100 seeds received from 
Colombo in September lnyO, only two grew into 
trees, one of which is now hearing large clusters 
of nuts similar to these sent you. With fresh 
seeds I expect to be moro successful in raising 
plants, but would like more information than I 
possess before making large nurseries. With this 
object in view I turn to the Planters' Friend, the 
Tropical AgricxiUuritt, and in vol. iv, page 096, 
find a description of the tree, how the oil is ex- 
tract* d, and that palm oil and seeds are solely an 
African export, but that the town of Boong alone 
does a business in oil and seeds amount uig to 
several thousand tons a work. Still this is not 
what I require, and on turning to vol v, page Wl, 
find " Udogauju " has already worn thu bhoea that 
