BOLIVIAN CINCHONA FORESTS. The great progress made in the acclimation of cinchona trees in India, Ceylon, and elsewhere has awakened the governments of countries where the plants are indigenous to the necessity of conserving from reckless destruction, and replanting denuded forests, so as to be able to keep up the supply of this valuable product. In Bolivia, since 1878, according to the report of the Netherlands Consul, private individuals and land owners have taken up the question with great earnestness, and at the present time on the banks of the Mapiri, in the department of La Paz, there are over a million of young trees growing. New plantations have also sprung up in various other localities, either on private ground or that owned by Government. The competition of India and Ceylon in supplying the markets has had also the effect of inducing more care in collecting and also of revisiting old 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 replanting 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 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 60 or more miles in extent: Ground. $1,200 300,000 plants at $0.14. 42,000 Superintendent, buildings, etc. 4,400 Interest. 4,800 ------- Total. $52,400