Am.  Jour.  Pharm.  \ 
August,  1884.  f 
Bolivian  Cinchona  Forests. 
435 
spots,  often  with  the  result  of  a  rich  harvest  of  bark  which  had  been 
left  on  partly  denuded  trunks,  and  the  opening  up  of  new  localities. 
The  new  shoots  springing  up  from  the  old  stumps  have  yielded  much 
quill  bark,  and  the  root  bark  of  the  old  stumps  has  also  been  utilized. 
The  re-planting  entails  very  little  expense.  The  Indian  tenant  on 
an  estate  has  a  house  and  land  from  the  owner  (hacienda)  of  the  estate. 
For  this  he  binds  himself  to  work  for  two  to  four  days  a  week,  at  from 
28  to  36  cents  per  day,  women  and  children  obtaining  16  to  21  cents 
per  day.  Thus  the  planting,  weeding,  etc.,  during  the  first  two  years, 
is  but  nominal  in  expense ;  after  this  period  the  trees  may  be  left  to 
themselves. 
On  Government  land  the  expense  is  greater,  as  after  an  application 
being  made,  the  land  is  put  up  to  public  auction,  and  may  fetch  a  very 
low  or  a  higher  price,  according  to  the  bidding.  The  land  secured, 
contracts  are  made  with  natives  of  the  lower  class  to  clear  the  forest 
and  plant  cinchona.  The  contracts  are  often  sublet  to  Indians.  The 
young  plants  are  planted  from  five  to  six  feet  apart,  with  banana  trees 
between,  on  account  of  their  rapid  growth  and  the  shade  the  latter 
afford.  From  March  to  June,  after  the  wet  season  is  over,  is  the  best 
time  for  planting,  and  the  contractor  keeps  the  plantation  free  from 
weeds  and  in  good  order  for  twelve  months,  when  it  is  handed  over  to 
the  owner.  The  following  is  given  as  the  cost  of  the  Mapiri  river 
plantation  of  an  area  from  sixty  or  more  miles  in  extent : — 
Dollars. 
Ground   1,200 
300,000  plants  at  0*14  dollars   42,000 
Superintendent,  buildings,  etc   4,400 
Interest   4,800 
Total   52,400 
Till  the  plants  are  above  two  years  of  age,  they  are  liable  to  die 
from  drought  or  the  attacks  of  ants,  and  during  1878  many  thousands 
died  from  these  causes.  At  the  end  of  the  fourth  year  some  proprietors 
begin  to  collect  the  quill  bark  by  the  method  of  coppicing. 
It  is  feared  by  some  that  should  this  new  venture  be  successful,  it 
will  prove  a  dangerous  rival  to  the  plantations  of  India,  Ceylon  and 
Java,  and  lower  the  price  of  bark  considerably. — Pharm.  Jour,  and 
Trans.,  June  28,  1884,  p.  1054. 
