PREFACE. ix 



Howard has likewise done good service by present- 

 ing the Indian Grovernment with a fine healthy plant 

 of Chinchona Uritusinga, a species which had not pre- 

 viously been introduced. I take this opportunity of 

 expressing my thanks for much assistance from Dr. 

 Seemann, the able Editor of the ' Bonplandia ;' from 

 Mr. Dalzell, the Conservator of Forests in the Bombay 

 Presidency ; from Dr. Forbes Watson, the Eeporter 

 on the vegetable products of India, at the India 

 Office ; from Mr. Yeitch, of the Eoyal Exotic Nursery 

 at Chelsea ; and from many kind friends both in Peru 

 and India. I am also indebted to Mr. Alexander 

 Smith, son of Mr. John Smith, the Curator of the 

 Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, for an interesting 

 note on the principal plants employed by the natives 

 of India on account of their real or supposed febri- 

 fugal virtues, which will be found in an Appendix. 



The botanical name for the plants which yield 

 Peruvian bark was given by Linnseus, in honour of 

 the Countess of Chinchon, who was one of the first 

 Europeans cured by this priceless febrifuge. The 

 word has been generally, but most erroneously, spelt 

 Cinchona; and, considering that such mis-spelling 

 is no mark of respect to the lady whose memory it is 

 intended to preserve, while it defeats the intention 

 of Linnseus to do her honour, I have followed the 

 good example of Mr Howard and the Spanish 



