Chap. XX. COLLECTION OF DRIED SPECIMENS. 331 



OHAPTEK XX. 



CONVEYANCE OF CHINCHONA-PLANTS AND SEEDS FROM 

 SOUTH AMERICA TO INDIA. 



Transmission of ilried specimens — Voyages of plants in Wardian cases — 

 Arrival of plants and seeds in India — Depot at Kew — Treatment of plants 

 in Wardian cases — Effects of introdnction of ckiuchona-plants into India 

 on trade in South America — Neilghcrry hills. 



The attempt to make simultaneous collections of seeds and 

 plants of all the valuable species of chinchonae was thus 

 croA>nied \vith almost complete success. Out of my original 

 scheme the C. lancifolia of New Granada was the only one 

 which had not been procured. It is unnecessary to say 

 more respecting the numerous difficulties and dangers which 

 were encountered by the collectors, for the narrative of the 

 proceedings detailed in previous chapters will have made 

 these sufficiently obvious. So far as the labom-s in South 

 America were concerned, all obstacles were surmounted, and 

 the objects of this great enterprise were fully attained. Not 

 only were plants and seeds safely brought to the coast, but, 

 in every instance, the collectors took care to provide them- 

 selves with botanical specimens from the chinchona-trees. 

 Thus the leaves, flowers, fruit, and bark of each species, 

 which were brought to England, placed the identity of the 

 valuable sj^ecies to which the plants and seeds belonged 

 beyond the remotest possibility of a doubt.^ But in con- 



* My collection of dried specimens bark from the branches of ahnost every 

 is deposited in the museum and her- ' species of chinchona and allied genera 

 liariiuu at Kew. It consists of leaves, | in the Caravayan forests, 

 llowers, fi-uit, and bark of C. Calismja ; ■ Mr. S^jruce's collection of aU the 

 leaves and flowers of C. micrantha ; parts of C. succ«r«6ra is in the herba- 

 leaves and fi'uit of C. Caravayensia ; j riuni at Kew. 

 fruit of I'imentelia ghnnerata ; and Mr. Pritchett's collection of leaves. 



