Amruryu,ri878ann*}    Fast-growing  Variety  of  Cinchona.  347 
impress  on  the  government  here  that  mossing  does  not  improve  the 
bark  on  the  tree  generally,  and  that  the  renewing  bark  draws  the  alka- 
loids from  the  natural  bark  adjoining,  /'.  that  the  alkaloids  in  the 
natural  bark  are  transferred  to  the  renewing  bark.  I  do  not  believe 
this  to  be  the  case,  but  if  it  is  so  in  any  degree  the  bark  now  sent  you 
will  show  exactly  to  what  extent  this  takes  place  ;  as  the  narrow  strips 
of  bark  were  surrounded  on  all  side  by  renewing  bark." 
The  examination  of  the  above  "strips"  was  therefore  of  special 
interest  in  connection  with  an  important  problem  in  vegetable  physiol- 
ogy.   They  gave  equal  to — 
Per  cent. 
Sulphate  of  quinia,  .....  6  94 
cinchonidia,      .  .  .  .  4*48 
cinchonia,  ....  0*20 
quinidia,  ....  0*14 
Amorphous  alkaloid,  .....  114 
1290 
Thus  disproving  the  transference  theory. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  my  friend  de  Vrij  has  recently  obtained  more 
quinia  and  less  cinchonidia  than  I  have  done.  This  is  no  doubt  owing 
to  his  having  described  the  results  of  examination  of  renewed  bark. 
I  have  also  a  small  specimen  of  this,  but  have  not  subjected  it  to  exam- 
ination. 
It  is  obvious  that  a  plantation  of  this  kind  is  likely  to  be  very  profit- 
able. Mr.  Mclvor  wrote  me  in  August,  1875,  that  20  acres  had  been 
planted  in  the  previous  year,  and  that  in  the  year  above  named  they 
had  planted  out  60  acres  on  the  Kartairy  estate.  The  next  year  occurred 
his  lamented  decease,  and  I  am  unable  to  continue  my  record  in  con- 
sequence. 
The  great  question  is,  how  far  is  it  possible  to  count  upon  the  prop- 
agation of  this  sort.  Mr.  Mclvor  speaks  with  a  varied  amount  of  cer- 
tainty. In  the  last  letter  I  had  from  him  he  says,  u  You  are  quite  cor- 
rect as  to  the  danger  of  relying  on  plants  raised  from  seeds  of  our 
hybrids  ;  of  course  to  be  certain  we  must  propagate  from  cuttings  only, 
but  pubescens  comes  pretty  true.  Still  I  would  not  rely  on  a  plantation 
formed  by  seedlings  even  of  this  variety." 
In  1874  Mr.  M.  sent  me  a  few  seeds,  from  which  I  have  one  plant1 
remaining,  which  reproduces  all  the  character  of  vigorous  growth  and 
Another  has  diverged. 
