Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-06
AlouT QulxIHe.
The Worlds Supply Comes IRON The island d
lava.

and located only 3 degrees off the
equator. now has the distinguished
position Of supplying practically all the
cinchona bark from which the worlds
supply Of quinine Is made. There are
about $4,000 acres of this island used
in growing cinchona. Here l saw the
cinchOna growing in all it's different
stages. beginning with the seed and the
little plants just above the ground. to
immense forest trees. which have been
allowed to grow for nearly century.
and some of which are 100 feet high,
and could not be spanned more than
half way round by the embrace of a
full grown man. The story of the
cultivation of Cinchona in Java has
rather romantic beginning. and may
be familiar to many who will read this
article. but as it is quite interesting
will bear telling again.
About the middle of the last cen
fury the Dutch government concluded
that 1t would try to get some cinchona
seeds and experiment with the cult
walton of this article In the colonies.
TO this end they sent to Peru TO secure
seeds ana plants from which they could
raise the valuable drug.
a native named Manuel Incra
Mamani went to a man named Ledger
who was doing business in Bolivia. and
told him that he had some seed which
had been collected from good trees
Ledger. who was an Englishman
bought the seed from the native-2O
pounds in alI-and sent them To his
brother in London. Ledger in London
notified the Dutch government that he
hard such seed. whereupon they paid
him about $3.50, and the seeds were
sent to Java to be planted.
Something over 10000 trees grew
from these seeds, and "A large number
OF them are still standing.
These trees have been allowed to go
to seed, and are simply used for their
seed. as they are now about A. years
old, and tree is harvestabe at six
Years This seed is planted in what is
known as the nurseries, although in
that country a nursery does not COM
prize Il glass covered establishment.
! as the coolest winter days are like our
July. and they have to he covered with
leaf shelters to keep off the rays of the
sun. rather than to be covered with
glass to keep them warm. Both
Ledger seed Uhe name Ledger" hav-
ing been derived from the man Ledger
from whom the seed was purchased
and Succirubra or red bark seed are
| planted. and the Ledger is grated
onto the Succiruba for the reason that
the Ledger does not grow we'll in the
soil. while the red bark tree prospers
and flourishes. though il does not con-
tain much quinine. II will be seen.
then. that it was a very wise procedure
to graft the rich Ledger top onto the
poor Succirubra root. and as a result
| as high as 1. per cent. or quinine sui
phate has been gotten from the bark Of
such combinations.
The little siccirubra tree is allowed
to grow about three feet high and the
ledger not quite SO high. The tender
shoots of the ledger are cut up into
pieces about six inches long each hav-
ing two buds. and after being trim
| med to wedge shape. are inserted in
a little slit in the side of the succir-
libra. This is covered up with wax and
bound with piece of banana leaf
whereupon, after a short time. the
wound heals and the little ledger
shoots come out in leaf; then the tall
top of the little succiruba tree is cut off
and We have the complete combinati ton
| ready to be transplanted in the forests
The so-called forests arc clear
ings made from the jungle. and the
ground is kept as clean from weeds
and rubbish as would he Il nice flower
garden. The trees are planted in rows
Systematically. and the ground is
worked So that the rains penetrate T."
Il great depth. The tree is allowed To-
grow until it is about six years OH.
when it is ready l." be harvested. and
unlike the old system. the tree is not
peeled alive. but is sawed off at the
roots. Invested of it's bark. and Il new
tree planted near by, thus making the
process continuous. The new trees
develop nearly as soon as the bark
would grow on again and are much
richer in uuininc and healthier In
growth, making it more profitable to
follow this process than To strip the
trees while they stand and cover them
with moss us was formerly done.
The native women then beat the
bark off the tree. rhich mas been cut
into short lengths and the wood is
dried and used to heat the ovens in
which the bark is dried The drying.
however. is largely done in the sun
before it is put into the ovens. and
the pipe bark. or pharmaceutical bark,
is usually dried entirely in the sun: the
native women and children sit in the
trays and tie the bark while it is green
and piiable After the bark has been
thoroughly dried it is rough ground.
usually by water power which is rs
free as the wind. and it is then packed
tightly in bags of 100 kilos each: these
bags are then sent to Amsterdam or 10
the qunine factories. and 80 per cent
of the Java bark goes to this market.
while the remaining 10 per cent is
manufactured into quinine at Band
oeng. Ten per cent does not sound
very big. but this 10 per cent means
Loco. 900 ounces of quinine per year. and
will be very soon be raised to 20 per
cent. as they are now doubling the ca
pacity of the factory.
After the bark reaches the factory
every parcel Is assayed as to the am
cunt of the various alkaloids it con-
tains and the natives mix the diff
ferent lots so that an average strength
of ilkaloid is represented in each
days work. Tons of bark are ground