88 o 
The tropical aqrioulturist 
[June i, 1892. 
BEPOUT ON PERU BY MESSES. 
A BOSS AND A. SINCLAIR. 
Wo DOW publish (see page 88S) the Report ot the 
Commissionersi and very able and interesting it is. 
We feel aa wo read that of a large portion of 
the land of the Incaa it may be said, “ If there 
ia an Elysium on earth it is this I ” It is a 
land of tropic luznrianee, the forest trees ot 
which are said to dwarf those of the Ceylon 
jungles into insignificance, with a soil rich beyond 
eomperison, requiring only to bo ecratcbcd, or 
in the dry region irrigated to laugh with aban- 
dance of all possible products, from wheat and 
potatoes, to coffee and oaeao. With all this the 
d emon malaria does not haunt this earthly para- 
dise. How be came to be banished is the problem 
we should like to see solved ; for prominent in 
history stands the record that the Countess ot 
ChinshoD, wife of a Viceroy of Peru, was cured 
of malarious fever by a decoction of that 
•’ Peruvian bark " which perpetuates her name in 
the mutilated form in which Linnsens wrote it, 
and which Markham has chivalrously but 
vainly striven, although with the aid of the 
Indian Government, to restore to its proper pro- 
port ions in the shape of Cuinohods. Thomas 
Moore during a visit to Byron in Italy com- 
menced a glowing appreciation of a glorii us 
suneet when his brother poet stopped him with 
“ Gome, Tom, don’t get poetical." The Com- 
missioners from the Peruvian Syndicate having 
no mentor but their own Scotch sense of pro- 
priety and “ douconeas,” that state they found it 
difficult in describing the land and its riches to 
adhere to the usual sober language of cQicial 
reports. On the banks of the I’erenu river 
there is the seleoted tract of forest land one 
and a quarter million acres in extent interspersed 
with a few “ pajonals ’’ (the eqoival-nts of « nr 
patanas), the forest trees being magnificent, 
while the wealth of orchids gave evidence 
ot BUfiioient rainfall for coffee and other tropical 
produots. The nature and the luxuriance of the 
vegetation were the only means available to the 
CommissioBere by which tbe amount of rainfall 
oould be estimated for, Messrs. Boss and Binclair 
affirm that not only has no rooerd ot the rain 
ever been taken in Peru, but that such a thing 
as a rain-gauge Iiss never been introduced into 
the country I What has tbe representative of 
Peru in Britain, who recently riad a paper 
00 bis oountry, to say to this token of back- 
wardness ? He can uo doubt point in oom- 
pensation to a railway which asoends the 
Andes to over 12,000 feet altitude, and to 
a series cf good roads in course ot forma- 
tion. Bat in most countries an eBsrnlial 
preliminary to such works is to ascertain the 
rainfall to which tbe works in course of oonstruo- 
tioD and when completed are likely to bo sub- 
jected. Peru is, however, a laud of anomalies, a tropio 
land with a rainless seashore climate, varying only 
from C8 deg. to 72 deg.; no malaria, no land 
leeches, very few mosquitoes, and wheat and pota- 
toes growing to altitudes ot 8,000 and even 10,000 
feet, while the Peruvian satinwood is an elony. 
The " alfalfa” (Im!®*'''®) 8K>wa luxuriantly ; and on 
the elevated grass lands llamas, vicunas, alpscasai.d 
sheep in plenty are fed. Specimens of oinohona — 
Buooirubra and oalieaya — were seen 0 feet in oircum- 
ference I These trees had probably seen Peru a 
Vioerojalty of Spain. The coca plant, so valuable 
for the anesthetio it yields, formed the undergrowth 
in much of the land seleoted, and its oultivation on 
a largo scale is recommended. Tbe land is in 11 
dog. South, and is described as suitable for tea 
gmongst other products ; but as tbe Commissioners 
specially desoribe the land and olimate as d'ffering 
frem those of Ceylon in being a land of flower 
ard fruit, rather than of leaf, we should think 
aitention will be speoially directed to such pro- 
duots as coffee (which yields at the rate of 24 
owt. an acre) and eaoao. The great difficulty will 
be that of a good labour supply. The indigenous 
labour cannot bo depended on, and there are but 
few Chinese left of those introduced in former 
years. We should think, therefore, that all the 
labour which can be procured will bo re- 
quired for the cultivation of coffee, cacao and 
coca. It is staled that tbe Chinese make 
good labourers is kept away fiom centres of popu 
ation, but naturally enough the chief reliance 
is placed on Tamils, so that we may ultimately 
look for oompetition from Peru in cur region of 
labour supply. We need not bo much alarmed, 
however, as the Indian Government is not easily 
satisfied with the proposals to remove its people 
to remote and foreign countries. Like Mr. Clark, 
Messrs. Bets and Sinclair, in their glowing accounts 
of Peru, say notbirg ot liability to seismio and 
politioal disturbance. The Commissioners make 
much of the exemption of Peru from the effects 
of tearing monsoon winds, and that evening breeze 
which in Anstrslia is so disagreeable and in India 
so deadly. But vein Ceylon aio beyond the region 
of volcanie disturbance, we enjoy the ftox Vritan- 
nica and with oocBsional litllo difficulties we have 
tbe essential advantage of a tufficieut, steady and 
reliable labour supply. There is one point in 
this able snd interesting report, regarding whioh 
we should like to have an explanation. It is slated 
that there is a potato yet to bo introduced from 
Peru fuptrior to anything hitherto known. L't us 
have this new variety of potato by all means. It ia 
amusing to read that besides ealouleiing the rain- 
fall by the general character of the vegetation, tbe 
proper zone for coffee was indicated to the ex- 
Ceylon planters by the existence of eeyerattim, — the 
much abhorred " white weed.” It ie also curious 
to learn that oats are a prevalent indigenous weed 
in Peru, while such exeit-ca as ihe Australian 
cuoalypts flourish amszie Amongst the native 
trees ia a beautiful evergreen willow, which, it ia 
believed, would be a great acquisition to • eylon. 
The speeies of screw pine of which ihe Panama 
hat is made ia also common. Cultivation ia 
carried on in this wonderful country to 
over 12,000 feet altitude, while grazing 
is successful up to 15,000 feet. Only the mineral 
region seems to be cold, barren and so rugged aa 
to be diffioiiU of access. Extensive pampas and 
beautiful lakes are tpoken of as edding to the 
attraotions of the scenery, Sugi r culture at present 
absorbs attention in Peru, tbe rum which ao- 
companies it being unforlunately a source of 
demoralization ol tbe people aa vvell as of 
profit to the distillers. Let us hope that 
this culture may bo superseded by that ol 
coffee, whioh with irrigation can be grown 
almost anywhere in P. ru, under 7,600 feet of 
altitude. At present rales of transport by pack 
animals are prohibitory, and so a railway is recom- 
mended in addilit n to v ater eorrisge rn the Ama- 
zon, for tbe accommodation ol the tract seleoted 
en the bank-f of the Perene. Naturally enough, 
a land iu which wheat, barley and potatoes grow 
in close juxtaposition with sugar, coffee and other 
tropical products ia deemed suitable for being 
colonized and settled by men of all races and 
from the most varying climes. With the opening 
of the Oroya railway, and the completion of roads 
in course of oonstruotion, it is slated, the facilities 
will be all that could be wished and such as never 
previously existed in Peru. 
