1 88 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [August i, 1881. 
plmted trees there. It was called Pata de Gallinaoz 
by the South American bark collectors, while to the 
broad-leaved variety of Red bark they gave the name 
of teja or ' tile' bark. Both of these varieties appear 
to be sold and cultivated under the name of Pubescens ; 
but whatever may be the commercial value of the bark 
oMained from ekher, it is certain that the climate of 
the Nilgiri sholas is not adapted for their full develop- 
ment as they naturally require a lower elevation. 
There is not a particle of the character of the Conda- 
minea in the sorts sold as Pubescens. 
Additional Plantings and the formation of Underwood. 
— In order to maintain the full growth and vigour of 
the plantation it seems to me the best method would 
ba to go over it aimually and fill up the thinly-planted 
or vacant spaces with good strong plants. In this way 
an abundant supply of young trees to take the place 
of occasional failures is insured. Their annual plantings 
should after a time accumulate and become so thick 
as to f orm a sort of underwood which beside shading 
and preserving a moist surface would supply young 
saplings to run up where wanted and in addition 
yield a good deal of quilled bark of fair quality 
from occasional thinnings. A planter, in order to have 
his plantation in thorough good condition for pro- 
ducing, should, on going through it, be literally 
wading ampngst growth of underwood. 
If t.ie different classes of bark obtainable from a 
plantation managed in this way were wrought to the 
reatest advantage, the yield, I am convinced, would 
e astonishing. Such a system of bark cultivation 
would be more applicable io the Condaminea than 
to the red bark. It could not of course be developed 
in one season but with diligence might in good sholas 
be in operatiou in a very few years. I make the 
remarks simply in this light that, whether by renew- 
ing or coppicing, whatever be the system of bark- 
producing followed, it will always be of the greatest 
advantage to have an abundant supply of young 
sapping growth coming up in plantations. 
Collecting of Seed of Condaminea. — In order to possess 
a supply of Kood seeds either at the Government or 
private plantations, a small clump of trees should be 
set apart for' this purpose aod rather widely planted 
in a favourable situation where the plants would have 
the benelit of full sunshine and plenty of air. For 
the Nilgiris the elevation should not be iess than 7,000 
feet. When the capsules of seed-fruit are about half 
grown each bunch or panicle should be gone over and 
all the small fruit thinned out. By this method, seed 
of the very best description will be procured. Through- 
out the plantation generally, I think it would be well 
to cut off the panicles of seed with whicn many of 
the young trees are loaded as these undoubtedly tend 
to retard the growth. The effectual remedy, however, 
for diminishing too free seeding is ciose planting. 
On the whole, I am glad to be able to testify 
to the generally healthy state and good condition of 
the Dodabetta plantation po zealously and industriously 
attended to by Narrainasawmy, the head Overseer. 
The propagatirg houses attached to the Botanic 
Garden and partly used for raising young stock 
for the plantation as well as garden are chiefly " lean 
to" tile roofed structures with sky-light windows 
here and there, and for the purposes of propagation 
are little better suited than a shoemaker's garret. 
Down below in the Botanic, only a short distance 
away, there is a large three-ridged conservatory en- 
veloped outside with hardy climbers, whilst the ma- 
jority of the plants inside would, in my opinion, do 
equally well without any covering whatever. Possi- 
bly the glass of this conservatory might be utilized 
in roofing over the propagating houses or erecting 
others in convenient localities. 
Examination of Neddiwuttum Plantation. — On the 7th, 
8th and 9th of December, I examined the Govern- 
ment Bed bark plantation at Neddiwuttum. which oc- 
cupies the debouch of a ravine towards the plains of 
Wynaad. The number of trees in this plantation, 
according to the report of Captain Walker, amounts 
to 208,780, the majority being of the Bed bark spe- 
cies, although there are also a good sprinkling of 
Condamineas. The soil is an excellent deep yellow 
friable loam quite equal I would say in fertility to 
the lower slopes of Chimborazo, the native habitat 
of the Bed bark. The tree here, in the general 
appearance of vigour, growth and development, equals 
and in fact excels those I have seen growing in 
South America. It is true the success of Bed bark planta- 
tions everywhere in the East has become proverbi- 
al. Planters from different parts of India assured 
me 'it rushes up like a weed,' 'it grows up and 
gives us no trouble.' The renewing process for ob- 
taining bark here is the same as that followed at Doda- 
betta, only straw is mos'ly employed for covering 
the trunks instead of moss. The moat disappointing 
feature about Bed bark is its inferiority for 
the purposes of quinine manufacture. The" Conda- 
minea, scattered throughout the plantation, appear 
to grow up quickly and tolerably robust, though 
not so much so as in some of the Nilgiris 
sholas. One thing I noticed, and that is 
that the trees do not possess the vitality of those of 
Dodabetta. On endeavouring to procure a sample of 
old bark from the base of the trunks I had to go 
from one tree to another, as every tree examined had 
more or less decay, a fact to which Mr. Hillier, who 
came over- to Neddiwuttum, was a witness. At the 
same time if Neddiwuttum was thickly planted over 
with Condaminea and carefully managed it would, 
I am convinced, yield annually a prodigious quantity 
of bark of good quality. For such an enterprise the 
employment of seed from the higher sholas would bo 
preferable. 
The C'alisaya Bark.— The Calisaya bark of which there 
appears to be several varieties at Neddiwuttum, has 
been the victim of a sad mistake. I knew what was 
wrong with these calisaya plants the moment I saw 
them. They have been planted at an elevation of 
1,200 or 2,000 feet too high. Down somewhere in the 
Wynaad, the proper climate would have been found. 
The plants are mere broom bushes and no method 
has been taken to ascertain the merits of the different 
varieties. Lately we have been told of a planter who 
has '' imported a man to graft Calisayas," but neither 
will this at too high elevations prove successful but rather 
the contrary. The fact is no one who knows anything 
' about the principle of grafting would graft Cinchona 
trees even at the proper elevation, that is, if such 
trees are intended for producing a large crop of good 
bark. Grafted trees would grow into a spreading 
bushy head of branches, for the tendency of the opera- 
tion is to diminish cr prevent the development of 
the trunk. Then branch bark is to a positive cer- 
tainty always inferior in quantity and quality to bark 
derived from the trunk. In addition to this, grafted 
trees are short-lived. The only thing that could be 
urged in defence of grafting is that the trees would 
come into flower sooner and produce seed more abund- 
antly. At the same time ail Cinchonas when fairly 
treated and planted at the proper elevation seed per- 
fectly in India. For successful cultivation of Calisaya, 
it is only necessary to go down to a warmer locality. 
I think it not. improbable that the Calisaya has 
been planted at too great elevations both on the 
Himalayas and in Java. Apart from this subject 
the value of the different varieties is doubtful and 
ought to be determined. With the assistance of 
Mr. Rowson, the Superintendent, I was enabled to 
obtain a sample of one sort. Of the others, it was 
impossible to obtain fair samples, by which means a just 
estimate might have been formed of their value on 
analysis 
