Chap. TIT. STEPS TAKEN BY THE DUTCH. 47 



The former declared that posterity would bless those who 

 should carry this idea into execution.^ 



The Dutch, who possess in the island of Java a range 

 of forest-covered mountains admirably adapted for chinchona 

 cidtivation, were, however, the first to take active steps for 

 ij;s introduction into the Eastern Hemisphere ; and their 

 praiseworthy exertions deserve, what they lay claim to with 

 justice, the approbation of the whole civilized world. The 

 experiment in Java, however, has only been tried with a very 

 limited number of valuable species of chinchonae^ and has met 

 with very limited success, owing to the introduction of worth- 

 less kinds, and to mistakes in the cultivation, committed 

 during the first few years. 



For the last thirty years Dutch scientific men, among whom 

 the name of the botanist Blurae may be mentioned, had 

 lu-ged their Government to undertake the introduction of chin- 

 chona-plants into Java. But it was not until the year 1852 

 that M. Pahud, the Dutch Minister of the Colonies, was autho- 

 rized to employ an agent to collect plants and seeds of valuable 

 species in Peru, and to convey them to Java. He selected, for 

 this important mission, M. Justus Charles Hasskarl, a botanist 

 who had for some time superintended the gardens in Java, 

 but who was a stranger to South America — ignorant of the 

 countiy, the people, and the languages — unacquainted with 

 the forests where the chinchona-trees are found, and who 

 had never seen them growing in their natural state. He 

 sailed for Peru in December, 1852, with orders not to confine 

 himself to the Calisaya plant, but to collect plants and seeds 

 of as many different species as possible. His original orders 



3 So convinced is Dr. Wcddcll that pent-etre fait la conqnete de qnclqne 

 there is innnineut danger of the sup- nouveau medicament qui reuih-a moins 

 ])liesofbark eventually being exliausted, regrettiible la perte de recorce de 

 that he says, "Avant que la mallieiu" Perou.' — Voyage dans le Nord de 

 que je pre'vois narrive (et ce ne sera ; BuUvie, p. 245. 

 pas de notre temps) la science aura ■ 



