INTRODUCTION OF CINCHONA TO THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA. 167 
of those species of cinchona which flourish at a level of between 3000 and 5000 
feet above sea, including C. succirubra (3000 to 4000 feet), C. Calisaya (4000 
to 5000 feet), and C. officinalis (5500 to 6500 feet). Other districts have been 
recommended ; for instance, Stoneyhill and Newcastle, about ten miles from 
Kingston ; but these are only about 1800 to 2500 feet above sea level. In 
the Blue Mountain range those conditions of moisture and latitude which are 
so active in assisting the formation of quinine are to be found in perfection. 
Before proceeding to name the varieties of cinchona which are most likely to 
be sucessfully cultivated, we may state the results already obtained, so far 
as our information goes, up to the present time. In a report which Mr. 
Thomson made to the Government for the year ending September, 1867, it 
appears that from the growth of cuttings, and seeds furnished by Dr. Hooker 
from Ceylon, there were in Jamaica 25,000 plants in a state of health, consisting 
of C. Calisaya, C. succirubra, C. officinalis, C. micrantha, ant( C. JPahudiana , 
in the following proportions respectively:—1500, 14,000, 5000, 1500, 3000; 
making a total, as before stated, of 25,000. Mr. Thomson proposed to plant 50 
acres with about 400 or 500 plants to each acre; and to offer for sale some 5000 
to 10,000 young trees. The latter has since been announced to take place 
shortly. It may be mentioned, as showing the rate of growth of the cinchonas, 
that in May, 1867, a score of C. succirubra were transferred to an altitude of 
3700 feet when they were about six inches in height, and at the early part of 
1868 they had reached the height of about 3 feet; but a few plants which were 
bedded out in 1867, it seems, have actually attained to 20 feet. This latter 
fact, as has been observed, sufficiently proves the adaptability of the soil for 
the purposes of cinchona growth. Recently Mr. Thomson has issued a series 
of directions, with the sanction of the Colonial Secretary, embodying the re¬ 
sults of his more matured experiences, relative especially to the culture of the 
C. succirubra, for 15,000 plants of which species land is now being prepared 
in the Government plantations. This species, together with the C. Calisaya, 
has shown itself to be best adapted to the sites available in the island. The 
best range of elevation is found to be from 3000 to 4500 feet. In some of the 
damper parts of the Blue Mountain and St. Andrew’s ranges that have not 
been at present denuded of their naturhl forest, the cultivation may be carried 
on at an altitude of 2500 feet. Mr. Thomson says, however, that the plant 
-—and we believe he speaks mainly of the C. succirubra —will grow at a less 
elevation, but the jfield of bark, and consequently quinine, is small. The mean 
annual temperature of any given locality is the best test of the eligibility of 
any site; it should be about 68° or 70° F. Dr. Hooker has advised that 
every species should be given a chance of thriving; for this reason, that the 
results obtained in one country cannot be correctly regarded as a gauge of 
the productiveness of the same species in another country ; and he instances 
the case of (7. Pahudiana, as failing in some climates, but producing in India 
a good yield of quinine ; and a difference of a similar kind is noticed in the 
comparison of cinchona growth in America on the one and India on the other 
hand. In Jamaica, about 435 plants go to an acre at first. The young trees 
are planted just before the rainy season, in pits 30 inches wide by 15 deep, at 
10 feet distances each way, the rows being planted alternately, “ that is, the 
plants in every second row should be opposite vacancies of the first.” In 
very hot weather a little artificial shade is needed, and this may be obtained by 
placing around the plants pegs sufficiently large to carry a few leafy branches. 
During the first year a height of three feet is reached, and a proportionate in¬ 
crease takes place subsequently. The yield of the bark in its natural habitat 
is about 5 per cent, as regards quinine. In India, as the result of culture, it 
has reached 8 and 10 per cent. From the prunings of the trees, moreover, a 
goodly amount of alkaloid is obtained ; the part, too, of the “ trunk that is 
