9 <6 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. 
[JULV I, 1881. 
Prom village to village, the direct road was merely a 
short cut, sometimes the rocky bed of a stream, inri- 
uussable except iu moderately fine weather. The con- 
stant wet produces a plentiful supply of sweet grasses, 
and the true wealth of the district should lie in cat- 
tle rearing. A little encouragement from the authori- 
ties by prizes being given once a year, and roads 
made to enable the cattle to be brought to market, 
would tend to developc this source of wealth so suited 
to the natives. The streams run in deep lieds with 
abrupt steep bunks. Fords are few and bridges are 
much required. 
The population is small (the largest village being 
Hewis-e with 523 inhabitants ; Kukulugama may have 
400); but probably enough to pay for the upkeep of 
the roads, after they have been made or put in order. 
To sportsmen, Kukulugama in January would be a 
pleasant enough spot for a week's stay. There ai - e elk, 
deer and peacock. If snipe and pigeons fail, the 
uatives will allow of their fowls being shot! There 
must be lots of hares, and altogether T could fancy 
many a worse place for a visit. H. W. 
CINCHONA CULTIVATION IN JAVA UNDER THE 
DIRECTION OF MR- MO ENS. 
It seems rather late in the day to publish Mr. 
Moens* Report on the Cinchona Gardens and experi- 
ments under his care, for the year 1879- Nevertheless 
it will be found th at the information contained 
in the Annual Report for 1879 fully justifies its 
translation and publication in our columns at this 
time. There is no current source of information 
open to our cinchona planters of more iuterest 
than that afforded in Mr. Moens' Reports, and we 
need only attract attention to a few of the ex- 
periments made and discussed by him in order to shew 
their practical importance. For instance in reference 
to his favorite Ledgeriana, — the process of grafting 
which on Succirubra is specially referred to — we are 
told how difficult it is to get the tree to blossom 
(and consequently to seed) unle.»s it has a long dry 
season. No wonder, therefore, though Mr. Moens 
when visiting Ceylon last year disapproved of the 
young and high districts between Great Western and 
Adam'8 Peak as a field for Ledgeriana. A lower and 
drier elevation will be required, and everything points 
to the Uva climate and soil as most likely to suit 
this richest of the quinine-yielding barks. The 
Madulsima Company and other proprietors who have 
already planted iu the Principality are to be con- 
gratulated. So conscious are the former of the value 
of their cinchona enterprise that we learn they are 
to send out a trained analytical Chemist who will 
attend solely to their interests, reside on their pro- 
perties, and no doubt carry on experiments similar to 
those in which Mr. Moens has led the way. To 
return to the Java Report, it will be ohserved that 
Mr. Moens had tackled the problem of growing a 
second set of cinchona trees on the same land. He 
pronoances it a very difficult task, but does not ap- 
parently despair of success if care and a little extra 
expense are given to the cultivation, The result will 
be awaited with interest in Ceylon. Again, Mr. Moens 
pronounces in favour of close planting, a point on 
which there is a considerable diversity of opinion 
.0110114 l'»'"il planter*. His careful statistics (compiled 
with all bfai ic< iir.ir\ oi a olieiuist accustomed to 
deal with minute particles and fractions) of the actual 
yield of bark from both officinalis and Ledgeriana trees 
of different ages, and grown under different specified 
circumstances, will be of permanent value and are 
very useful for comparison with the results obtained 
on onr hills. To enable comparisons to be made, 
we may remind our planters again that the kilogram 
is equal to 2 l-5th lb. English, and a meter is about 
1 l-10th yard. The cost of harvesting th< bark by 
the new process of scraping is given, and Mr. Moens 
ha« satisfied himself that drying the shavings in the 
3un does not affect their quality prejudicially. The 
destruction of a clearing of Ledgeriana —over J bouw 
(very nearly an acre) in extent through grub is an 
unusual experience. Ha* any one observed grub attack 
cinchona in Ceylon, or is it possible that some part 
of the mysterious dying-out of trees here may be 
attributable to this cause, no proper examination 
having taken place ? It will be observed that the 
highest price secured for bark during the year under 
review was about the equivalent of 13s 9d per lb., 
and that this was paid for a case of shavings off 
Ledgeriana trees. 
In the Report for the first quarter of the present 
year, it will be seen that Mr. Moens confirms the 
good opinion of the Ledgeriana-succirubra grafted trees, 
and this is really the special step in advance which 
Ceylon planters have next to practise ; but how can 
this be done until the precious variety is made 
available here, our so-called " Ledgerianas " b"ing 
tested analytically. Mr. Moens acknowledges that he 
profited in several ways by what he saw and learned 
during his trip through Ceylon and India, and we 
shall look forward with much interest to his special 
Report on the journey. 
REPORT ON THE GOVERNMENT CINCHONA 
ENTERPRIZE IN JAVA FOR THE YEAR 1879. 
By J, C. Bern"lot Moem. 
1. State or Weathek. 
During 1879 the weather was very favorable for the 
plantations. The proper dry monsoon failed, for the 
rain continued steadily and it was seldom dry for 
more than a few days consecutively. The plants in 
consequence made on the whole satisfactory progress. 
On two places on the establishments situat d to the 
south of Bandong — Tjiojiroean and Kawah-Tjiwidei ■-- 
ram-gauges were placed by the meteorological observ- 
atory at Weltevreden, and the rainfall w s measured 
daily. On Tankoeban-Praoe this was considered to 
be unnecessary, as observations are already being taken 
there on the private cinchona garden Soekawana. . 
2. Increase. 
The total number of plants standii g in the open at 
the end of December was 1,678,670. Of these 44, 100 
weve Ledgeriana cuttings and 310,970 Ledgeriana seed- 
lings. In the nursery beds were 397 55< » plants 
more, of which 7,460 were Ledgeriana cuttings. .At 
the end of 1878 an abundance of exc 'dent Ledgerr 
ana seed was obtained, so that not only the 
nurseries of the Government enterprise hut also 
those of private planters were fully supplied with 
plants of the best kinds. As was predicted in 
the former annual report, the first rip«niu,' of the 
Ledgeriana seed iu 1879 was very late— in November 
and December. And the quantity was small, so that 
