this State. Another remarkable fact connected with the complex atmospherical conditions of California is that the well-known ordinary effects of latitude, longitude, and altitude seem to bear with but comparatively little direct relations in some portions of the State. In the more southerly part of the interior mountain system, the general character of the vegetation has obtained for these mountains the title of the "Alps of California," but their analogue is found in the arctic zone rather than in Switzerland. In the Swiss Alps, trees are not found higher than 6200 feet above the sea. In the California Alps, trees are found 11,000 feet above the sea, and good pasturage extends from 5000 to 10,000 feet above the sea level, and even higher-up to the very crests of the peaks. At 3500 feet above sea level the dense forest begins. The trees are mostly sugar and yellow pine, Douglass spruce, fir, and bastard cedar. Along the western slope, at an altitude of 5000 to 7000 feet, the big trees, or giant sequoias, are abundant, not merely occurring in isolated groves, but scattered abundantly in common with the timber for a distance of at least twenty-five miles along the tributaries of Kings, Kewent, and Kern rivers. Considering, therefore, the peculiarity and variety of the climatic conditions and vegetable productions of California, it can scarcely be doubted, that a locality may be found here for the propaga tion of the cinchona as readily as in India, where its cultivation has been attended with success. As is well known the native habitat of the cinchona genus is in the mountain region of South America, from 10° north latitude to 20° south of the equator, and extending eastward from the Peruvian Andes to the confines of Brazil, at elevations varying from 6000 to 11,000 feet. The most esteemed kinds are found between 7° north and 15° south, and at an average temperature of about 68°; but it has been recently ascertained that on the dry slopes of the central Cordillera of New Grenada, a most valuable species flourishes in a temperature varying between two ranges, thus: Lower limit-day, up to 59° to 60°; night, 46° to 48°. Upper limit-day, up to 40° to 48°; night, 35° to 36°. At the lower limit the night-temperature at times ran down to freezing. Now the success attending the plantation of these trees at Sikhim and Jamaica-stations far removed in latitude and absolute elevation from their natural habitat-and especially on the Neilgherry Mountains and country south of Calcutta, shows satisfactorily that, if we can obtain an equable climate and a sufficient rainfall within the limits of the United States, they will flourish here also as well. Following out this conclusion, Dr. Thomas Antisell, in his elaborate contribution on the subject of this communication, in the United States Agricultural Report for 1866, recommends the experiment of a plantation in this State (California) at some distance from the coast in San Luis Obispo, and San Diego counties. The following abstracts of mean temperatures of the district at the base of the Sierra Nevada, from 40° to 32° north latitude, extracted from his report, will serve to contrast this locality with the stations in the East Indies: Spring 55° to 65°—range 10°; summer 70° to 80°-range 10°; autumn 60° to 70°—range 10°; winter 45° to 52°-range 7°. Yearly mean average from 45° to 80°. The rainfall during the same seasons was-spring, 10 cubic inches; summer, 2 cubic inches; autumn, 3 cubic inches; winter, 10 cubic inches-total for the year, 25 cubic inches. Higher up the slopes of the range, the temperature would of course be lower, and the rainfall greater; hence it would not be difficult to select there a station which would combine the necessary moisture and warmth. These temperatures may be contrasted with those on the Neilgherries. Ootacamund is in the centre of a plateau, by no means a flat surface. The rains come in the southwest monsoon from May to September from the west, and at other times it receives the rain of the northeast monsoon. The total rainfall is from 65 to 75 inches. The mean temperatures range from 42° to 58°. At a station lower down on the range (Conover), the mean temperature is from 52° to 71°. Anywhere between 34° and 37° in the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada, Dr. Antisell thinks a temperature similar to that of India may be obtained by ascending the range from 1500 to 2000 feet above its base. We believe with him that all the conditions of climate which would support the cinchona could be found immediately below the altitude of the Sequeia. The American Medical Association therefore ask, in view of the foregoing facts, that the Congress of the United States would appoint a commission of scientific men for the following purpose: 1. To determine what portion, if any, of the public domain of the United States will produce the cinchona, and which may be set apart for this purpose. 2. To determine what species may be best transplanted, and will furnish the greatest amount of the active principles. 3. That they be authorized to visit such South American coun tries as they may deem necessary in order to determine these points, employ a competent botanist to assist them, and that our consuls in such States be instructed to further these investigations. 4. That they be empowered to negotiate for, and obtain a proper quantity of seeds and plants. We would add to this that the Sacramento Medical Society has pledged itself, provided the requisite plants or seeds are furnished free of cost by the Government, to use every effort in endeavoring to find a proper habitat for the cinchona tree in California, and to report the results of their experiments to the Agricultural Bureau at Washington. The "State Board of Agriculture," of California, through one of its members, has promised its co-operation in any plan which may be deemed most advisable for the accomplishment of the objects contemplated by the appointment of this committee. LEMUEL J. DEAL, M. D., Chairman. For the Committee. |