182 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1881 
CBYLON PRODUCING THE MOST VALUABLE 
CINCHONA BARK IN THE WORLD. 
THREE YEARS OLD LEDGERIANA BARK GROWN AT 3,000 
FEET ABOVE SEA-LEVEL VALUED AT 17s. PER LB. 
We are no less surprised than gratified at the very 
important intelligence conveyed to us by Mr. T. N. 
Christie in the following communications. Nothing in 
Mr. Moens's experience can equal this valuation (on 
Mr. Howard's analysis, of 17s. per lb. for bark from 
trees only 37 months old ! Quinine is rather cheaper 
now than when Mr. Moens realized his famous maxi- 
mum prices, and his 13 per cent of quinine was from 
bark taken frotu trees which had reached their matuii- 
ty. Certainly they were not under six years of age. 
We heartily congratulate the gentlemen more immedi- 
ately concerned in Yarrow estate and all owners of 
Ledgeriana planta growing at a medium elevation ; 
and yet why should we doubt that almost equal good 
fortune will attend the planters in tbe young and 
high districts, Mr. Christie having demonstrated how 
well and profitably Ledgeriana grows under the shadow 
of Adam's Peak. Dr. Trimen has just pronounced 
flowers gather-d from some of the Emelina trees to 
indicate the true Ledgeriana. When it is remem- 
bered that the Uva climate is also very favourable 
to Ledgeriana, we have no doubt the present news 
will cause enquiry to be made after some of the blocks 
of crown forest land for which no bid could be got 
the other day at Kandy. Our readers must remem- 
ber that Mr. Christie's correspondent is Mr. W. Fred. 
Laurie of Pussellawa (not Mr. Forbes Laurie of Ran- 
gala). 
To the Editor of the " Ceylon Observer. ' 
Maskeliya, 5th July 1881. 
Dear Sir, — I have been favored with the enclosed 
copies of letters from Messrs. Lewis & Peat and ana- 
lyses of Yarrow estate (Nilambe) Ledgeriana bark. 
The figures, but for the name of Howard, would be 
perfectly incredible, and they will be most interesting 
and encouraging to those whose estates are at a com- 
paratively low elevation : they need be no longer totally 
dependent on red bark with its uncertain future. 
The trees are growing, robust, and of good size, at 
an elevation of about 3,000 feet, were planted by me 
(out of the same stock as my trees here) in December 
1877, and were exactly 37 months old when the sam- 
ples were taken, and they are now yielding a little 
seed. When 37 mnnt s old Ledger bark is valued at 17s 
per lb. one can believe the story of the Java seed 
selling at the rate of £236 per ounce. 
"Java" must draw in its horns now and take second 
place to Ceylon, if I am right in my belief that this 
Yarrow bark is, for its age, by far the richest that has 
ever been grown. — Yours faithfully, 
Thos. North Christie. 
6 Mincing Lane, London E. C, June 22nd, 188L 
W, Fred. Laurie, Esq. 
Dear Sir, — We enclose you our report on your bark 
which we hope will be satisfactory. Mr. David Howard 
(Messrs. Howards) has taken considerable interest in 
these samples and analysed them for us, and we are 
requested to urge the cultivation of this variety by 
all possible means, the more especially as we under- 
stand that your trees have flourished at an elevation 
of below 3,000 feet. It is pleasing to find that last 
year we strongly advocated the planting of this variety 
and it must be gratifying for you to know that you 
are possessed of tbe true variety, for at the present 
time" it is a very important matter that rich varieties, 
likely to realize high prices for quiuine manufacture, 
should be grown. We shall always be pleased to give 
you any further information you may require and re- 
main, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
(Sd.) Lewis & Peat, 
per T. W. Buchmian. 
6 Mincing Lane, London, E. C, 2nd June 1881. 
W. Fred. Laurie, Esq. 
Dear Sir, — We have now the pleasure to hand you 
report and valuation of your sundry samples of cali- 
saya bark. Messrs. Howards have kindly tested them 
for us and we are pleased to be able to pronounce 
them all of the true " Ledgeriana " variety. They 
consist of well grown bark, somewhat young, but 
their respective yields from them, the best we have 
yet seen ; though we fear in bulk the result will 
not be so high. We annex the analysis : — 
Sulphate of Quinine 
Per cent worth about 
8. A' 
No. 1 7 10 6 per lb. 
„ 1* 97 14 3 „ 
„ 2 75 ... 11 3 „ 
„ 3 11-2 | 
„ 3 x 11 -1 \ 17 0 " 
„ 4 45 6 9,, 
and they contained only traces of the other alkaloids. 
As 4 per cent bark is worth more than twice a 2 
per cent bark yielding one, it is difficult to give an 
exact valuation. — We are, dear sir, yours faithfully, 
(Sd.) Lewis & Peat, 
In forwarding the letters, Mr. Laurie writes : — 
" The samples were not taken from trees selected 
especially for their typical appearance, but from those 
exhibiting the greatest variety in their foliage and 
the result is to me perfectly amazing. Even No. IV. 
which in appearance closely resembles a succirubra is 
proved to be a most valuable bark. I was introduced 
to Mr. Howard, who analysed tbe bark, and he said 
that he was quite surprised himself at finding the 
samples so rich. He said that he thought it quite 
possible that the production of red bark (c. succi- 
rubra) might prove in a few years time to be excess- 
ive, but that so long as we could grow such bark 
as the samples be had analysed, there was no doubt 
of its giving us a most handsome return. Manu- 
facturers, he said, would always prefer to pay a good 
price for a rich bark to buying an inferior one cheap, 
as the cost of extracting the quinine is of course less 
and the operation, from having a much smaller quan- 
tity to work upon, so greatly quicker. Thus he says 
he considers a bark containing 6 per cent of quinine 
worth more than twice the same quantity of a bark 
which contained only 3 per cent." 
NEW PRODUCTS FOR CEYLON: "JUTE." 
We call attention to the clever review of our Hand- 
book and Directory from tbe Dundee Advertiser given 
on another page. It will be interesting, as the pro- 
duction of an old Ceylon colonist, for the notice. taken 
of the past and present position of our planting in- 
dustry j but its chief practical value lies in the 
pressing recommendation made to give a trial to 
"Jute" as a new product suited for cultivation in 
Ceylon. Such a recommendation, coining from the 
Jute capital par excellence, backed by the authority 
of a Dundee manufacturer who has frequently passed 
through Ceylon, we suppose en route to Calcutta, and 
supported by an old planter intimately acquainted 
with the nature of our soil and climate, deserves 
special attention. Clearly we have arrived at a point 
where an extended trade in the finer and more valu- 
able fibres ought to be attempted. Some amongst us 
have been experimen iitg with aloe fi»re in a hopeful 
way; by other planters the successful cultivation of 
New Zealand fl ix is almost placed beyond doubt in 
certain districts, and now planters of new products in 
low-country districts are strongly recommended to try 
the Jute plant. We trust the attempt will at once 
ba made. The first step will be to get seed from 
