49 2 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. [December i, 1881. 
CULTIVATION OP " LEDGERIANA " CIN- 
CHONA IN CEYLON. 
POUR YEAR OLD TREES ON YARROW ESTATE, PUSSELLAWA, 
YIELDING 9 - 06 PER CENT OP PURE QUININE.* 
We have already on two separate occasions re- 
ferred to the successful cultivation of the precious 
Ledgeriana on Yarrow estate, Pussellawa. Mr. Thos. 
Christie informed us how these trees were the result of 
a pinch of seed received from Mr. Mclvor, during his 
visit to Ceylon, he (Mr. Mclvor) attbe same time ex- 
pressing doubt as to the successful growth of the 
species which had comparatively failed under his care on 
the high and cold hillsides around Ootacamund. That 
our Ceylon hills on the contrary are admirably 
adapted at a medium elevation, and in select spots 
up to 4,500 feet or so, for the culture of Ledgerianas 
has now been satisfactorily demonstrated by the re- 
sult of experiments not only on Yarrow, but on 
St. Andrew's, Maskeliya, and under Mr. W. Smith's 
care in Lindula. The great success of the Yarrow 
trees was shewn by the analysis of bark giving 
8 '4 per cent of quinine, valued up to 17s per lb. 
Since then the price of sulphate of quinine has 
fallen, and therefore although the highest valua- 
tion in the accompanying analyses is 16s Id, it 
must be noted that the percentage of quinine 9 06 is 
very nearly the highest yet attained not only in Ceylon, 
but, considering the age of the trees, we may say it is 
equal to anything realized by Mr. Moena in Java. 
The detailed analyses given by Mr. Symons are 
as follows : — 
Analysis of "Yarrow" Calisaya Ledgeriana bark 
taken from 3J year old trees, growing at an eleva- 
tion of 2,500 feet :— 
Crystallized Approximate 
Sample. Pure Quinine. Sulphate of Value in London 
Quinine per lb. in Sterling. 
No. 1 4-550 6-066 8s 
„ 2 _ 4-680 6-200 8s 3d 
Analysis of "Yarrow" Calisaya Ledgeriana Bark taken 
from four year old trees, growing at an elevation 
of 3,000 feet :— 
Crystallized Sulph. Approximate Value 
Sample. Pure Quinine. of Quinine. in London per lb. 
T* 
TJ* 
V* 
w* 
4-850 
11-100 
10- 866 
11- 473 ' 
5-446 
•713 
7-566 
10-333 
7- 966 
7133 
8- 633 
5-973 
7/6 
14/9 
14/5 
15/3 
7/3 
10/2 
15/1 
12/11 
10/11 
10 '1 
11/5 
12/9 
11/5 
7/9 
13/3 
7/1 
7/7 
7/11 
contain but a trace of other Alkaloids. 
* In the table as it originally reached us, and 
as we mentioned in a paragraph yesterday, the maxim- 
um given was 10 56 per cent., but this is a mis- 
take as Mr. Symons explains:— "I am very sorry 
to see my clerk has made a mistake in copying 
out one of the analyses. R* should be pure Q. 
9 - 06 in place of 10 - 56. You will see that this is 
correct, as 9-06 + 3 02=12-08, the proportion of 
sulphate of quinine. 105G would give 14 - 08 % of 
quinine which is rather stiff, even for Yarrow." 
Analysis of "Yarrow" Calisaya Ledgeriana barb 
taken from four year old trees, growing at an elevation 
of 3,000 feet :— 
Crystallized 
Approximate 
Sample. 
Pure Quinin< 
Sulphate of 
Value in London 
Quinine. 
per lb. in Sterling. 
A*x 
8-775 
11-700 
15s 7d 
E* 
4605 
6-140 
8s 2d 
B*x 
9 06 x 
12-080 
16s Id 
S*x 
7-155 
9-530 
12s 8d 
Vx 
7-885 
10513 
14s 
X*x 
6-700 
8-933 
lis lOd 
Y* 
4-775 
6360 
8s 5d 
Z* 
3-575 
4-766 
6s 4d 
Those marli 
alkaloids. 
contain but a trace of other 
C. H. H. Symons. 
Colombo, 18th Oct. 1881. 
Remark of Mr. Symons referring to R* : — "It is 
really a splendid birk. The five marked " x " are all 
fine types." 
Yarrow estate is situated in the district of Nilambe 
and lies at the back of Pooprassie, adjoining Gal- 
loway-Knowe and Hanagalla estate?, distant about 
12 miles from Gampola. In elevation the cultivated 
area ranges from 2,500 feet to 3,400 feet. A well- 
known visiting agent has reported upon the estate 
as follows : — " The feature of the estate (Yarrow) is 
now its Ledgeriana trees, and the analyses of bark 
which has been the talk of everyone for the last 
few days. There are 140 trees altogether, some first- 
class, bnt all very good. I consider that for cin- 
chona the estate is especially well adapted." We 
learn further that the trees are growing most vigor- 
ously (of quite as rapid growth as the succirubras it 
is said and have a thicker and heavier bark ! 
and average from 15 to 20 feet in height. The 
superintendent has about 10,000 seedlings of Ledg- 
eriana coming on promisingly, and the majority of 
the trees are now heavily laden with seed crop. We do 
not regard the fact of the trees being laden with 
seed at so early an age as a good sign : we should 
have preferred that they had fully matured with at 
least six or seven years' growth, but still no doubt 
the seed, when compared with that of the less valuable 
species, will be very valuable.* At the same time, 
careful selection will have to be made to secure 
the best, for it is very striking to note the great 
variation in the bark of different trees grown from . 
the same "pinch of seed." For instance the seed 
gathered from the splendid tree marked "R^x," with 
9*06 of pure quinine, ought to be nearly three time3 
the value of that taken from " R," the bark of 
which only gives 3'455 of quinine. By careful selec- 
tion guided by analysis, the proprietors of Yarrow; 
ought in a few years, to be able to shew trees 
grown from the seed of "R*x " yielding a con- 
siderably increased percentage of quinine at the 
same age, until Mr. Moens' maximum of 13 per 
cent is beaten. (Mr. Wm. Smith's maximum tbe 
other day for trees years old was 9'6 per cent) 
Calisaya " Ledgeriana" is undoubtedly the species 
for a large number of planters in Ceylon to turn 
their attention to ; but it may be asked if its 
cultivation becomes general and fairly successful, 
what will become of the market. With the millions of 
trees — a considerable number being 'Ledgers' — about 
which Mr. Cottam writes from Madulsima,all flourishing 
exceedingly ; with propagation by seed, suckers, and 
grafts engaging attention in so many quarters, where is 
* Seed of the Ledgers is too precious, we fear, for the 
proprietors of Yarrow to try an experiment recom- 
mended by Colonel Beddome, of cutting off the pani- 
cles of flowers from trees flowering prematurely. It 
should bo tried though on two or three trees to note 
the effect on the growth of the trees and on the 
virtue of the bark. — Kd. 
