424 
CITs^CHONA  CULTIVATION  IN  BENGAL. 
fore  stopped  its  extension  in  September  last,  though  I  was  aware 
of  the  high  quality  of  the  grey  bark.  The  present  quantity  is 
large  for  an  experiment ;  and,  as  an  experiment,  a  few  acres  of 
(J.  officinalis  were  planted  in  September  last  at  a  somewhat 
higher  level  (5000  feet)  than  the  main  plantation.  Also,  in  all 
the  C.  officinalis  plantations  below  the  level  of  4000  feet  (above 
which  level  C.  succiruhra  does  not  thrive),  C.  succiriihra  has  been 
planted  between  the  ranks  of  C.  officinalis,  and  will,  doubtless, 
soon  overgrow  it. 
13.  The  propagation  and  extension  of  C.  calisaya  has  been 
pushed  as  fast  as  possible.  There  is  no  difficulty  in  multiplying 
(7.  succiruhra  and  C.  officinalis  by  cuttings,  but  at  Rishap  there 
is  found  the  greatest  difficulty  and  uncertainty  in  multiplying  C. 
calisaya  by  cuttings.  Herr  von  Gorkom,  the  Director  of  the 
Dutch  Government  cinchona  cultivation  in  Java,  informs  me 
that  there  the  same  difficulty  with  C.  calisaya  is  found  ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  Mr.  M'lvor,  in  the  drier  climate  of  the  Nilgher- 
ries,  says  cuttings  strike  with  perfect  success. 
14.  Her  von  Gorkom  has  sent  me  on  several  occasions  most 
valuable  packets  of  C.  calisaya  seed,  which  germinated  excellent- 
ly; but  if  it  could  be  discovered  how  to  grow  C.  calisaya  by  cut- 
tings, I  should  greatly  prefer  that  method,  as  by  it  I  am  sure  of 
getting  exactly  the  variety  which  I  wish  to  propagate.  Mr. 
M'lvor  is  of  opinion,  that  not  merely  do  the  varieties  cross  free- 
ly, but  that  many  hybrids  are  formed  from  different  species  of 
cinchona. 
15.  The  most  valuable  bark  known  in  the  European  market  is 
the  C.  calisaya  bark  ;  this  species  grows  admirably  at  Rishap, 
and,  during  the  past  year,  propagation  has  been  almost  entirely 
confined  to  it.  In  growing  for  profit,  I  believe  it  will  ultimately 
be  found  advisible  to  grow  one  or  two  species  only  on  these 
plantations ;  and  that  it  is  best  to  discard  a  species  at  once 
which  is  clearly  inferior  with  us  to  C.  calisaya  and  0.  succiruhra. 
16.  I  have  lately  brought  from  the  Nilgherries  two  new  kinds 
of  cinchona,  one  provisionally  named  C.  mirahilis,  of  Mr. 
Broughton,  the  other  C.  pitayo.  In  C.  mirahilis  the  bark  con- 
tains the  astonishing  quantity  of  13J  per  cent,  of  quinine  alka- 
loid, and  more  than  9  per  cent,  of  crystallizable  quinine.  (7. 
