1890 Coca and its Therapeutic Application by Angelo Mariani

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During the first year maize is sown in the interspaces, rapidly overreaching the shrub, and taking the place of the screens and mats. The growth of the shrub is rather rapid, reaching its full height in about five years. But the time when it becomes productive precedes that at which it attains its complete height by about 3^ years after being planted.

After that, when the season has been especially damp,it yields as often as four times a year. Attempts have been made to ac climatize it in Europe,but so far without success. As early as 1869 the cultivation of it was tried in the Botanical Garden of Hyeres, but no satisfactory result was ob tained. We presented, in 1872, two samples to the appreciative and learned director of the Garden of Acclimatization of Paris, M. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and not withstanding all the care taken of the young plants,they failed to reach their full growth. Several frail Coca plants may be seen in the conservatories of the Jardin des Plantes de Paris, in the Botan ical Gardens of London,of Brus sels, etc., likewise at several great horticulturists' of Gand, notably

BRANCH OF COCA, ••as grown in a hot-house.

"Van Houten's. As may be seen by the large colored en graving (1) and by the branch engraved above, these specimens of Erythroxylon Coca are very far from giving an idea of the plant growing in the open air, in a soil and (i) This cut represents the Coca shrub presented by Mr. A. Mariani to the Paris Botanical Gardens.