338 INTERCHANGE OF PRODUCTS. CnAr. XX. 



In obtaiuing plants and seeds of these valuable cliinchonas 

 from South America, it avouU be a source of deep regret to 

 me if that measure was attended by, any injury to the people 

 or the commerce of Peru or Ecuador, countries in the welfare 

 of which I have for years taken the deepest interest. But I 

 have no apprehension that such will be the result of the cul- 

 tivation of these plants in other parts of the world. The 

 demand for quinine will always be in excess of the supply 

 from South America ; and the result of chinchona cultivation 

 in India and Java wall have the effect of lowering the price, 

 and bringing this inestimable febrifuge within the reach of a 

 vast number of people who are now excluded from its use, 

 without in any way injiu^ing the trade of Peru and Ecuador. 

 I trust that not only will this measure do no injury to the 

 South Americans, but that it may be hereafter productive of 

 good to them, as well as to the rest of mankind. Hitherto 

 they have destroyed the chinchona-trees in a spirit of reckless 

 short-sightedness, and thus done more injmy to their own 

 interests than could possibly have arisen from any commer- 

 cial competition ; but it may be that the influence of peace 

 and education will inaugurate a new system in time to come, 

 that more enlightened views will prevail, and that they 

 themselves may undertake the cultivation of a plant which is 

 indigenous to their forests, but which, up to this time, they 

 have so foolishly neglected. It will then be a pleasure to 

 supply them with the information which will have been 

 gained by the experience of cultivators in India, and thus to 

 assist them in the establishment of plantations on the slopes 

 of the eastern Andes. 



Under any circumstances the South Americans, who owe 

 to India the staple food of millions of their people, and to the 

 Old World most of their valuable products — wheat, barley, 

 apples, peaches, sugar-cane, the vine, rice, the olive, sheep. 



