44 DESTRUCTION OF CHINCHONA-TREES. Chap. 111. 



CHAPTEE III. 



Rapid destruction of chincliona-trees in South America — Importance of tlieii' 

 introduction into other countries — M. Hasskarl's mission — Chinchona 

 plantations in Java. 



The collection of bark in the South American forests was 

 conducted from the first with reckless extravagance ; no 

 attempt worthy the name has ever been made either with a 

 view to the conservancy or cultivation of the chinchona-trees ; 

 and both the complete abandonment of the forests to the 

 mercy of every speculator, as in Peru, Ecuador, and New 

 Granada, and the barbarous meddling legislation of Bolivia, 

 have led to equally destructive results. The bark-collector 

 enters the forest and destroys the first clump of chinchona- 

 trees he finds, without a thought of any measure to preserve 

 the continuance of a supply of bark. Thus, in Apollobamba, 

 where the trees once grew thickly round the village, no full- 

 grown one is now to be found within eight or ten days' 

 journey :^ and so utterly improvident are the collectors that, 

 in the forests of Cochabamba, they bark the tree without 

 felling, and thus ensure its death ; or, if they cut it down, 

 they actually neglect to take off the bark on the side touching 

 the ground, to save themselves the trouble of turning the 

 trunk over.^ 



A century ago Condamine^ raised a warning voice against 

 the destruction that was going on in the forests of Loxa. 

 Ulloa* advised the Government to check it by legislation ; 

 soon afterwards Humboldt reported that 25,000 chinchona- 



' Weddell, Histoire Naturelle des \ ^ Mem. de V Acad. Boy. des Sciences, 

 Quinquinas. \ 1738, p. 226. 



* Weddell, Voyage dans le Nord de \ ^ Noticias Secretas, p. 572. 

 Bolivie. I 



