Cinchona Plantation along the Hilly Tracts of Darjeeling
Like Tea, cinchona plantation is contributing to the mainstream economy of Darjeeling nowadays. First commenced in 1861-62, the establishment of a cinchona nursery in Darjeeling was first suggested , by Dr. Anderson. With a hope for greatest success, the proposal was accepted and a summit of Senchal in the midst of dense forest is selected for the plantation of cinchona. However, the harsh climate of Senchal led government to move in a garden at Lebong, a warm, well sheltered spur below Darjeeling in 1863. The height of the area was 6,000 feet above the sea. Later, a permanent plantation space was found at 12 miles southeast from Darjeeling, in the Rangjo valley at Rangbi.
Nowadays, different species of cinchona are cultivated extensively, which contain quinine and allied febrifuge alkaloids in their bark. Originally, the plantation was started with hundred plants at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. However, within three years there were nearly three million trees in existence, most of which were Cinchona succirubra.
In 1868-70 Dr. Anderson proposed for the manufacture at the Rangbi plantation of a cheap and powerful febrifuge, which can be effectively used in native hospitals and charitable dispensaries, by taking out the cinchona alkaloids from the bark. However, till 1887, only cinchona febrifuge was manufactured, but the quality of quinine it produced was very poor. Therefore, Dr. King, in 1880 proposed planting of those cinchona species, which are quinine-yielding. These species were high-yielding crops and in due course, the scientists executed a number of experiments to create natural hybrid between Cinchona succirubra and Cinchona officinalis. Gradually the production seemed extremely profitable with over 3,000,000 of yellow bark and hybrid to one and a half million of red bark trees in 1890, while in 1880 there were only 4,000,000 red bark trees. Early 20th century came with the production of over 2 million yellow bark and hybrid to 200,000 red bark trees.
Presently, Darjeeling is one of the notable contributors of Cinchona and quinine in the world market.
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