August i, 1881.] THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
89 
Pykara Hooker Plantation. -I made a brief examina- , 
tion of this estate reportul by Captain Walker to I 
contain 87,557 trec». 
Both Condaminea and Red bark have been planted, 
but the elevation is decidedly too high for the latter. 
There are one or two good pieces of Condaminea, but 
generally speaking ihe plantation is in a wrecked, ruin- 
ous state and overgrown with grass and poriions of it 
are quite vacant. It is impossible to say it is exemplary 
in any way. The soil is invariably good, but the 
plantation is out of the way and isolated, and I think 
it is a pity that any plants were put down at this 
place. The "Wood" plantation is situated on the 
opposite side of tb.e Pykara river, and is chiefly planted 
with lied bark. Everybody said if. was worse than the 
Hooker Estate, so I did not go to see it. 
Concluding Remarks.— 1 will now make a few general 
remarks respecting the plantations and the torts culti- 
vated therein. 
The Red bark, as also the Condaminea, seems to be 
sufficiently well known and widely planted, and so does 
not call for any special remark. 
But the Calisaya bark, although introduced at the 
same time as these soils, has not as vet become an 
established plant commercially. As there appears to 
be several varieties of this tree, some reported inferior 
while others are considered valuable, I would beg to 
suggest that the various varieties of this species at 
Neddiwuttum be noted, cleared of grass and brushwood, 
and properly and thoroughly cultivated, so that ample 
growth may be induced to afford samples of each. When 
th sc can be had, a sufficient quantity of bark of each 
UDrt could be collected and sent to a quinine manu- 
facturer, who would no doubt, be able to indicate the 
comparative value of each variety. If it was then 
thought necessary, a site fir a plantation might be 
sought for at a lower elevation for the cultivation of 
the best variety of Calisaya. There still remains two 
sorts of known value, the Pitayo bark, ten years here 
but never to any extent propagated or cultivated, and 
the 80ft Columbian or Santa Pe lately introduced. It 
might be well to put dowu a number of these two 
kinds among the Coudamiueas in the most sheltered 
fertile places of the Dodabctta site, and in addition 
one or two of the best neighbouring sholas could be 
added to the plantation and planted entirely with Soft 
Columbian in order to fully dcvelope the cultivation of 
this valuable bark. It is probable that either of the 
species would also do well at Neddiwuttum, for the 
assertions that have been made that the Pitayo will 
not succeed there have made no impression upon me. 
At the same time I wish it to be clearly and em- 
phatically understood that for permanent sites for such I 
sons as the Crown Pitayo or Soft Co'unibiau I would 
always prefer the higher sholas of the Nilgiris. 
Looking to the inferior position that Red bark 
occupies in the market, it may be a matter of con- 
sideration wl. ether Government would propose to retain 
permanently theNcddiwuttum and l'yka'a Estates. This 
too, owing to the expressions of opinion which have I 
been given thut the Government is competing with 
private planters. Regarding this point, I may assure 
pluutos and others that I consider they are 
mistaken. It may be so to some extent res- I 
pecting Druggist's bark. But for bark suited [ 
for the extraction of quinine the South American 
market is the source that plauters really have to 
compile with as yet. A gentleman well acquainted 
with the bark trade lately assured me that the East 
supplies only about - 2 per cent, for the manufacturer?, 
so that there is a wide field for tho private planter. 
But iu order that every one be thoroughly successful 
the very l o t species— and these are now in India- 
must be cultivated. And not only this alone, but 
to produce the best description of bark which these 
soits can yield is tho supremo aim that every one 
must s oadlastly have in view. Following in this course I 
48 
those who cultivate bark on the Nilgiris need fear 
no competition from South America, Ceylon, Java, or 
anywhere else. 
No region of country in the East possesses, in my 
opinion, such a magnificent and perfect field for the 
cultivation of the various commercial products of 
tropical America as does Southern India. The Xilgiri 
plateau, 50 miles in length with its deep sholas on 
the crown, and ruuning down both side?, affords 
numerous excellent sites for the cultivation of bark 
trees, while the densely wooded humid tracts spread 
along the base of the Western Ghats present a choice 
field for the growth of the Cocoa tree and India Rubber. 
In making those statements I do not do so 
on mere book iufoimation. Brought up in a run-. I 
district we were early acquainted with the prin- 
ciples of agriculture and afterwards went through 
the whole course of forest planting, seed raising, 
and propagation of all classes of plants and trees. 
On commencing to travel in the Spanish Re- 
publics we were able to acquire amidst other occupa- 
tions and duties a knowledge of the various modes 
pursued in the cultivation of the different kinds of 
Cocoa, likewise the picking, classifying, and curing 
of tobacco as practised by the best Spanish planters. 
In addition to these our experience extends to the 
forest life of bai k-collei tiug in nearly every bark region 
of South America, and also the tapping or bleeding 
of India Rubber trees. I make these remarks to show 
that the assurance given as regards the adaptability 
of these trees to Southern India is based on a practical 
acquaintance with their habits and other circumstances 
in the distant regions in which they grow. 
I have given no opinion on the various methods 
adopted of taking the bark from the tr<:es, thinking 
it best, to await the analysis of the samples, 30 in 
Lumber, collected with the permission of Government 
and already forwarded to your office. 
Whilst awaiting the results of the analysis I may 
at tiie same time remark that no one need be greatly 
surprised if notwithstanding all that has been said, 
that Renewed bark is not the richest in quinine. As 
far as I can judge the ingenious "scraping" or paring 
process of the Dutch is manifestly not so injurious 
to the tree as the renewing plan, though it seems to 
me that less bark would be obtained by the "scraping' 
method. But of the renewing system one thing appears 
to me certain which is that when once a tree has 
been operated on it is placed for the future on 
crutches and must always remain so, and will require 
to be wrought after the same manner as long as 
The three Soft Columbian plants originally brought out 
and formerly briefly reported on, have considering all 
things, progressed fairly well and four young cutting 
plants obtained from them are in process of rooting. 
All these are likely to do well. Two of the largest plants 
have been recently placed in a position to enjoy some 
artificial heat so as to accelerate the growth of 
rhoots suited for propagation in order to increase the 
stock as quickly as poss ble. Cuttings will now drop in. 
I must, however, remark that the propagation of 
the Soit Columbian in an extensive way will be 
found to be by no means an easy task to any one, 
owing to the bad state of the hot-houses and flues 
aud to the filthy state of the inside of these houses 
from slugs, beetles, spider-", insects and mould. Nor 
even after the plants are rooted and planted out in the 
beds will their preservation be an easy matter on 
account of the cattle and goats which feed around 
and hud their way into tho cultivated plots. These 
things demand remedial measures. 
Now that the product of these plantations has be- 
come a regularly established article of the export 
trade of India, I think it would be well in all com- 
munications when making mention of th s commodity 
to employ tho word 'lurk' a term which a chill 
