FEBRIFUGES. 189 



make its Ijretliren, the ^leliaceoe, valuable throughout the 

 Tropics. But it is not the only tree of South America whose 

 bark may be used as a substitute for quinine. They may 

 be counted possibly by dozens. A glance at the excellent 

 enumerations of the uses of vegetable products to be found 

 in Lindley's "Vegetable Kingdom " (a monument of learning), 

 will show how God provides, how man neglects and wastes. 

 As a single instance, the Laurels alone are known already to 

 contain several valuable febrifuges, among which the Deme- 

 rara Greenheart, or Bibiri,^ claims perhaps the highest rank. 

 " Dr. Maclagan has shown," says Dr. Lindley, " that sulphate 

 of Bibiri acts with rapid and complete success in arresting 

 ague." This tree spreads from Jamaica to the Spanish 

 Main. It is plentiful in Trinidad; still more plentiful in 

 Guiana ; and yet all of it which reaches Europe is a little 

 of its hard beautiful wood for the use of cabinet makers; 

 while in Demerara, I am assured by an eye-witness, many 

 tons of this precious Greenheart bark are thrown away year 

 by year. So goes the world ; and man meanwhile at once 

 boasts of his civilization, and complains of the niggardliness 

 of Nature. 



But if I once begin on this subject I shall not know where 

 to end. 



Our way lay now for miles along a path wliich justified all 



^ Xectandia Kodiu;i. 



