236 THE PERUVIAN CINCHONA FORESTS. 



are natives of the forests covering the mountainous 

 regions of South America, where their geographical 

 range extends from Lat. 10 N. to Lat. 22 30' S., 

 and where they are generally found growing on the 

 eastern slopes of the Cordilleras in the province or 

 region known among the Spanish-speaking people as 

 "La Montana, " at an elevation of from 5000 to 8000 

 feet above sea-level. * It does not do well in the 

 lowlands. 



The officinal barks of the British Pharmacopeia are, 

 however, only three in number, which, not to be too 

 technical, we shall describe as "pale," "yellow," and 

 " red" barks, f The most valuable of these is the 

 yellow bark of the Cinchona Calisaya, a lovely tree, 

 which grows to the height of some sixty feet, and is 

 said occasionally to obtain a diameter of five feet. 

 It is covered with rich, dark green, shining leaves, 

 with crimson veins, and produces bunches of white 

 flowers, emitting a delicious aromatic fragrance, in 

 some respects slightly recalling the smell of a freshly 

 made infusion of the bark. 



Mr. Clements Markham, who superintended the col- 

 lection of cinchona plants and seeds in South America, 

 and their introduction into India in 1860, considers 

 this valuable tree " by far the most beautiful of these 

 forests " ** and he gives a most interesting account of 

 the wasteful way in which the bark was then collected by 

 the native " cascarilleros, " from the heart of the virgin 



* Encycl. Brit., Vol. v, p. 781. 



t British Pharmacopeia, p. 1 8, Article " Cinchona." 



Stanford's Compendium of Geography and Travel for Central 

 and South America, edited by H. W. Bates, p. 332. 



** Travels in Peril and India, while superintending the Collection 

 of Cinchona plants, etc., by Clements R. Markham, 1862, p. 270. 





