CHAPTER XXI 



THE CINCHONA FORESTS OF EL LIMON, ON THE 

 WESTERN SLOPE OF CHIMBORAZO 



(i860) 



[Tins year was wholly occupied in the arduous 

 work of obtaining for the Indian Government seeds 

 and young plants of the best of the medicinal barks, 

 produced by the Cinchona succirubra, which was 

 becoming exceedingly scarce owing to the reckless 

 destruction of the trees producing it. The bulk of 

 the present chapter is occupied with a reprint of 

 the more interesting portions of the very full 

 report of his labours made by Spruce. This is of 

 much general and historical as well as of botanical 

 interest, and as it can now only be procured in a 

 very cumbrous form in a large and costly " Blue 

 book " comprising the whole official record of the 

 introduction of the various Bark trees into India, 

 its inclusion in any account of Spruce's botanical 

 work is imperative. 



I give first the " List of Botanical Excursions " 

 for the year, which summarise the whole story ; 

 and also some short extracts from the few letters 

 he was able to write, which supply some more 

 personal and descriptive features to the narrative.] 



258 



