460 Peruvian-bark Trees and their Transplantation. 



but for a long time their memoirs were shelved by men in office. 

 In 1852, however, the Dutch government was induced by 

 Mr. Pahud, then Minister of the Colonies, to send Dr. Hasskarl, 

 a German botanist, to Peru in order to obtain seeds and plants 

 of the Chinchonas for transplantation to the Upper mountains of 

 Java. Unfortunately Dr. Hasskarl got hold of a species which 

 he believed to be a valuable one, but which, after millions of it 

 had been raised in Java, proved to be Chinchona Pahudiana, 

 utterly useless for all practical purposes. The really valuable 

 species the Dutch did not succeed, and have not succeeded to 

 this day, in propagating to any extent, though under skilful 

 treatment they may be multiplied rapidly, even the leaf-buds 

 striking readily. But considering that the whole cultivation 

 was necessarily an experiment, their progress was sufficiently 

 encouraging to back the proposal which first Dr. Royle, and 

 afterwards with better success of being accepted, Mr. Markham 

 made to the British government to introduce the Chinchona 

 trees to India, Ceylon, and Jamaica. In 1 859 the Secretary of 

 State for India charged Mr. Markham, who was thoroughly fami- 

 liar with South America and the Spanish and Quichua languages, 

 with the duty of superintending the introduction. The latter 

 at once submitted a plan which, if carried out in its integrity, 

 would have been productive of the best results. It was to send 

 a competent botanist to every one of the five great Chinchona 

 regions, and have a swift steamer on the coast of South America 

 to receive the seeds and plants collected, and convey them direct 

 to the East Indies, where about £40,000 are annually spent to 

 purchase quinine for the troops and officials. A false system 

 of economy induced the India office to withhold its sanction, 

 not only to the exploration of the New Granada and Loxa 

 regions, but also to the use of a steamer, the most important 

 part of the whole plan. Messrs. Spruce and Cross undertook 

 to forward the product of the Red-baik region, Mr. Pritchett 

 those of the Huanuco district, whilst Mr. Markham himself 

 penetrated into Caravaya, far beyond the boundaries of even 

 Spanish civilization. Though the utmost secresy was observed, 

 the real object of these explorations soon spread about, and the 

 • narrow-minded South American governments passed laws pro- 

 hibiting the exportation of seeds or plants. Mr. Markham had 

 just collected a sufficient number of the Chinchona Galisaya and 

 other valuable species, when the jealousy of the municipal 

 Juntas compelled him to beat a hasty retreat, and, avoiding 

 the regular roads, make the best of his way over the frozen 

 summits of the Cordilleras to the port of Islay. 



Though Mr. Markham' s well-conceived plan was but partially 

 carried out, there are now fine plantations of Chinchonas, in- 

 cluding the most valuable species, in the East Indies, Ceylon, and 



