228 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 



form plantations of these precious trees on a large 

 scale. This task will occupy me (if my life be 

 spared) the greater part of next year. 



The expedition to the woods above spoken of 

 (in August and September of 1859) was to make 

 myself acquainted with the different sorts of Barks, 

 and to ascertain what facilities existed for procuring 

 their seeds, etc., or, more properly speaking, what 

 difficulties had to be overcome, and I assure you 

 they are not slight ones. I established myself in a 

 sugar hacienda about half-way between Riobamba 

 and Cu.enca, and five days' journey from Ambato, 

 and from thence penetrated two days' journey 

 farther into the forest towards the west, or nearly 

 to the roots of the Andes on the Pacific side. The 

 owner of the hacienda, Don Pepe Leon, a descend- 

 ant of a noble Spanish family, and his wife, Senora 

 Manuelita (a handsome and very clever Ambatina 

 -most of the handsome women are of Ambato), 

 were very agreeable people, and I spent a pleasant 



time with them. 







NOTES OF A VISIT TO THE CINCHONA FORESTS IN 

 THE VALLEY OF ALAUSI, ON THE WESTERN 

 SLOPE OF THE QUITONIAN ANDES 



To Sir William Hooker 



AMBATO, Oct. 20, 1859. 



My last letter informed you that I was con- 

 templating an expedition to the forests producing 

 the Cinchona tree on the western slopes of the 

 Quitonian Andes. I was for some time doubtful as 

 to what part 1 should visit. It was but two or three 



