CHAPTER XXVIII.

CULTIVATION OF THE CHINCHONA-PLANTS IN THE NEILGHERRY HILLS, UNDER THE SUPERINTENDENCE OF MR. McIVOR. IN previous chapters detailed accounts have been given of the proceedings connected with the collection of chinchona plants and seeds in South America, their conveyance to India, and the selection of suitable sites for their cultivation. It now only remains to record the progress of this important experiment in the Neilgherry hills during the last year, and to offer some remarks on the contemplated measures connected with its future management. A very valuable Report by Mr. McIvor, on the same subject, will be found in an Appendix. It is a subject of congratulation that the Government should have at their disposal the services of one so admirably fitted for the post of Director of chinchona cultivation as Mr. McIvor. This gentleman has superintended the Government gardens at Ootacamund for fourteen years, and their beauty as well as their usefulness are due to him;[499] while his periodical visits to the Conolly teak plantations have been productive of the most valuable results,[500] and he has successfully introduced a great number of English and other plants into the Neilgherry hills.[501] Mr. McIvor combines with his attainments as a scientific gardener great practical experience, and a thorough acquaintance with the climates, soils, and flora of the hills. He has long taken a deep interest in the question of the introduction of chinchona-plants into India, and he brought the subject to the notice of Lord Harris, then Governor of Madras, as long ago as 1855. Since that time he has made himself master of the subject by a study of every work of any importance which has appeared in Europe within the last thirty years;[502] while the practical knowledge which he has acquired of the requirements of chinchona-plants during the fifteen months that he has now superintended their cultivation, in addition to his previous qualifications, makes him fitter than any other person that could be found for the direction of this most important experiment. In July 1861 Mr. McIvor was appointed Superintendent of chinchona cultivation by the Madras Government, with full and entire control over the operations, in direct communication with the Government, and subject to no interference from any intermediate authority.[503] Orders to the same effect were sent out to Madras by the Secretary of State for India in Council on July 2nd, 1861, and the same orders were repeated both to the Governor-General and to the Governor of Madras, in despatches dated February 1862. It was above all things important that Mr. McIvor's position, in connexion with the chinchona experiment, should be authoritatively defined, in order to protect him from attempts at interference, which have been as vexatious as they have been unnecessary, and which have more than once threatened to render success impossible. These dangers are now, fortunately, at an end; and the interest taken by Sir William Denison, the present Governor of Madras, in a measure calculated to confer so great a benefit on the people of India, ensures to it a fair trial, and is one of the best guarantees of ultimate success. Mr. McIvor's zeal and ability, his intimate knowledge of his profession, of the Neilgherry hills, and of all questions bearing on the subject of chinchona-plants, and his acquirements as a scientific as well as a practical gardener, justify the confidence which has thus been placed in him by the Secretary of State in Council, and by the Madras Government. He has also had the advantage of personal intercourse, for weeks together, with Mr. Cross, Mr. Weir, and myself, after we had explored and carefully examined the chinchona forests in South America; but his subsequent experience in the cultivation of the plants under his charge has furnished him with means of observation which now gives his opinion greater weight than those of persons whose knowledge is derived from books, from short visits to the plantations in Java, or even from personal examination of the South American forests. In offering my opinion on the best method of cultivating the chinchona-plants, I have the satisfaction of knowing that my conclusions substantially agree with those of Mr. McIvor--mine being founded on experience gained in the chinchona forests, and his on careful observation of the plants which he has reared in India. That these views should be concurred in by Dr. Weddell, Mr. Howard, and Mr. Spruce, is most satisfactory, as it supplies an additional presumption of their correctness. I will now proceed to give an account of the progress of the chinchona cultivation in the Neilgherry hills. The first batch of seeds, being those of the "grey-bark" species from Huanuco, arrived at Ootacamund on the 13th of January, 1861, and those of the "red-bark" followed in the end of February. On the 7th of April 463 plants of _C. succirubra_ and six of _C. Calisaya_ reached their destination on the Neilgherry hills in very good condition, considering the length of time they had been in Wardian cases, and thus the experiment was fairly commenced. The first sowing, which took place in January, was not very successful, because Mr. McIvor was induced to use too retentive a soil, having been misled by the treatment of seeds adopted in Java; and only 3 to 4 per cent. germinated. The second sowing took place early in March, the soil used being of a much freer nature, half composed of burned earth; and 15 to 25 per cent. germinated. Encouraged by this result, Mr. McIvor used a soil composed entirely of burned earth for the third sowing, which took place in the beginning of April, and included the seeds of the "red-bark" species. Of this sowing 60 per cent. germinated, and of the seeds of _C. micrantha_ 90 per cent. It is to be remembered that all these seeds were collected in the South American forests some months before, and that they had passed through the perils of several climates, and a voyage of many thousands of miles. In May all the plants of _C. succirubra_ had taken fairly to the soil, and were in a healthy and flourishing condition, those of _C. Calisaya_ were doing well, but recovering more slowly from the effects of the voyage, and the seedlings were growing fast. The temperature given to the plants was 60° in the morning, rising to 75° in the day, with plenty of light and air; this treatment having proved to be best adapted for their rapid growth. Of course they would grow higher if shaded, and consequently drawn up, according to the erroneous plan adopted in Java; but this is not what is wanted, and, by giving them plenty of light and air, they grew into fine strong plants, as broad as they were long. It was found that the chinchonæ are remarkably impatient of any damp at their roots, all the species thrive better in rough and open than in fine soil, and there is reason to believe that they will bear a much drier climate than we originally supposed. During the autumn of 1861 the work of propagation, by means of cuttings and layers, progressed rapidly; and, whereas in June 1861 we only had 2114 chinchona-plants of valuable species at Ootacamund, in January the number was increased to 9732 plants. The layers of _C. succirubra_ root sufficiently to be removed in five weeks, and cuttings in two months; layers of the "grey-bark" taking a little longer time to root, or about six weeks. Mr. McIvor has also made the important discovery that chinchonæ strike freely from _eyes_, and make beautiful plants exactly like strong seedlings. These _eyes_ will give about eight fine strong plants for one that is obtained from cuttings, which is a great advantage while there is not much wood in the young plants. In October Mr. McIvor reduced the temperature of one of the propagating houses to 55° at night, and 65° during the day; and, under this treatment, which is also probably advantageous to the bark, the plants appeared to grow faster, and the leaves became a very beautiful bright green. The thickness of the bark, in the plants of _C. succirubra_, is very remarkable, having been in some instances nearly one-seventh of an inch last January, and in the smaller stems the average thickness of the bark considerably exceeds that of the wood. Mr. McIvor attributes the unusual thickness of the bark to the presence of a large number of healthy leaves, exposed to bright light. These leaves throw back into the bark a large quantity of highly elaborated matter. The experience of a year's cultivation convinced Mr. McIvor that, although the most suitable elevation and climate differs with the various species, yet that they all require a rich, rough, and very open soil. In September the erection of a new propagating house for chinchona-plants, in the Government gardens at Ootacamund, was sanctioned, which was completed early in December. It is 63 feet long by 21 broad, and will hold about 8000 plants. The Dutch Government in Java, at the request of the Government of India, arranged to forward some chinchona-plants of the species cultivated in that island to Calcutta; and accordingly 100 of _C. Calisaya_, 300 of _C. Pahudiana_, and 7 of _C. lancifolia_ were transmitted. Of these 48 of _C. Calisaya_, 4 of _C. lancifolia_, and 250 of _C. Pahudiana_ arrived at Ootacamund on the 20th of December,