6o6 
THE TROPICAL 
AGRICULTURIST. [January 2, 1882. 
Mc Ivor, who, on many occasions since 1872, Liad 
stated such to be the case. Col. B ddome throws 
over the late Superintendent without hesitation as 
untrustworthy, and pins his faith toihe recollections 
of Mr. Cross. Apart from the latter's story of the 
collection of the plants (which will be found in a 
letter printed at p. 32 of Col. Beddome's report*), 
the only direct evidence against Mclvor's view brought 
forward is that trees are found " in the oldest planta- 
tions [1862] at Nedivatam ; " but it appears that 
this is not Col. Beddome's own observation. The 
earliest plantation in which he has seen trees of the 
kind is one of the 1865 planting, and no satisfactory 
evidence is given that the plants here were not sup- 
plies. The acknowledged fact that sowings of the 
Eeed always show a proportion of succirubra and 
olficinalis in the progeny is readily disposed of by 
the observation that it is " of course " due to care- 
less gathering. Careful experiment alone can 
decide this point— in a practical planter's view, the 
most important one of all : it will not be settled by 
dogmatic statements one way or the other. As re- 
gards the characters of the plants, they are in 
all respects intermediate between offic'nalis and 
succiru! ra, and in every point and degree in 
which a given specimen differs from one of these species 
it approaches the other. The intermediate character 
is also carried out on the whole in the proportions of 
the alkaloids in the bark, variable and uncertain as 
is the analysis of these trees. 
No doubt Col. Beddome may prove to be perfectly right 
in his opinion as to the autonomy of this cinchona: 
I merely wish to point out that in my opinion the evid- 
ence he brings forward is by no means conclusive. 
But indeed on this matter the Color. el's opinion poss- 
esses less weight than it might have from the singular 
position he has taken up with reference to hybridity 
in cinchona in general. This is, of course, not the 
place to enter into any discussion. It is scarcely ne- 
cessary even to point out that the dimorphic arrange- 
ments of the flower which Col. Beddome cites as conclu- 
sive against natural crossing are precisely those which 
have been shown overandover again to be those specially 
adapted to ensure cross-fertilization by insect agency. 
The production of hybrids in nature is by no meaus 
an uncommon thing. In some genera they are frequent ; 
and whether our " hybrid " cinchona turn out to be 
one really or not, that cross-fertilization and hybridity 
occur in our mixed plantations by the visits of insects 
to consider almost certain. Mr. Moens is now engaged 
In an elaborate seri s of experiments in artificial cross- 
ierlilization with the object of comparing his results 
fwith the naturally-produced sports and varieties in 
the plantations. This is a long business, but in due 
time we may hope to have some direct evidence oh 
this perplexing matter. 
I also desire to say a few words as to the name 
which this cinchona should bear. It is I think much to 
be regretted that the name "Pata de Gallinazo" 
should have been brought out of its obscurity by Mr. 
Cross and adopted (even provisionally) by Col. Bed- 
dome. This is a mere bark -collector's name and is 
used in different parts of the Andean chain for at 
least 6 different kinds of bark. That which has the 
best claim to it (as having been first published and 
more often used) is the best sort of grey bark col- 
letted by Priichett in Huanuco and referred to C. peru- 
viana or C. micraniha. This "Pata de Gallinazo" was one 
of the first cinchonas sent to Hakgala from the Nil- 
giris. (See Dr. Thwaites' Report for 1860-G1.) It is, 
of course, the case that the name is also used for 
the " Cascarilla serrana " or Hill red bark, which Dr. 
Bjirace obt ained on Chimborazo at 8,500 to 9,000 feet , 
* In conversation, Col. Beddome told me that Mr. 
Cross declared he had sent seed of this to India, but 
nothing i» said of this in the report. 
and with which Mr. Cross (who accompanied Dr. Spruce 
as gardener) now identifies the plant under discussion.* 
But Dr. Spiuce himself, with Mr. J. B. Howard, long 
ago determined his "Pata de Gallinazo" to be C. 
coccinea Pav. (see his letter quoted in Weddell, notes, 
page 30 (1869)), and it is no doubt in accordance 
with this determination that Howard now refers Cross's 
"Pata" bark from the Nilgiris to that species (see 
Beddome's report, page 30 The plate, however, of 
G. coccinea, (taken from authentic specimens) in the 
"Must. Nuev. Quinol." is totally unlike our plant. 
All this is, perhaps, scarcely in place in your column?, 
but it will show how far the matter is from final 
solution. It is to be hoped that the copious dried 
specimens sent home by Col. Beddo ne for comparison 
with types in the London Herbaria may clear up 
the matter; but this cannot be very confidently ex- 
pected. Meanwhile, I would recommend the sup- 
pression of the Spanish name of " Pata de Gallinazo " 
for our "hybrid." If the tree has been duly described 
and named we shall, of course, give the proper ap- 
pellation m time ; if not or till then— since the names 
" pubescens," " magnifolia," "villora," and others are 
all for various reasons unavailable — we cannot, I think, 
do better than adopt that already coming into use 
in Southern India, robusta, which is a very appropriate 
one. By using this we do not commit ourselves to any 
views as to the origin of the plant, whether in the 
plantations of the Nilgiris, or the higher slopes of 
Chimborazo. — I am, your obedient servant, 
HENRY TRIMEN. 
A PHILOSOPHICAL CURE FOR THE COFFEE 
GRUB : " GIVING THEM THE SACK. " 
Agrapatana, November 25th, 1881. 
Dear Sir, — Perhaps the following method I have 
invented for the destruction of grub may be of interest 
to you, and, now that the discovery is being conducted 
on more estates than one, it would be impolitic for all 
to consider the invention any longer a secret. Decided 
proof as to the remedy can be obtained, on reference 
to those gentlemen who have seen the experiments 
here, and who have tried and are now trying it 
themselves, and further information as to the success 
attendant upon their efforts will I am sure be gladly 
accorded. The discovery would have, doubtless, been 
made known before this had it been already tried 
elsewhere by anyone, excepting those to whom the 
process has been explained and through whom the 
facts of the case have been, inadvertently, somewhat 
widely disseminated. Owing to the rapid and terrible 
depredations of grub I was induced to make repeated 
attempts as to a cure early in July last, at a time 
when the attack was becoming dangerous, aud having 
tried every available means with little if any success 
I thought of suffocation, and determined to spread 
old and useless bags between the lines of coffee ; 
thinking the grub would be smothered or probably 
that the bags would attract them : the plan was 
successful. All grub under the covered area rose to 
to the surface, aud on rolling back the bags were 
discovered in large numbers. They were not be found 
at a greater depth than three or four inches, and 
if allowed to remain long under the bags 20 per cent 
are attacked by the "white fungus"; the insects do 
not again descend deep to the ground. 
I wish, however, to particularly draw attention to 
* Col. Beddome's Report (p. 8.) contains the extra- 
ordinary assertion (derived from Mr. Cross ?) that Dr. 
Spruce "could never have seen the tree9." But the 
latter describes their appearauce, bark and leaves — the 
flower and fruit he did not get — in his paper in the j 
" Journal of the Linnean Society " iv. p. 185. Indeed it 
is Mr. Cross's share in this matter that is the novelty. 
