Sept. 1, 1864.] THE TECHNOLOGIST, 



67 



ON MYROXYLON TOLUIFERUM, AND THE MODE OF 

 PROCURING THE BALSAM OF TOLU.* 



BY JOHN WEIR. 



[Previous to his departure for New Granada, Mr. Weir received 

 instructions to make inquiries respecting certain interesting medicinal 

 plants growing in that country, especially the Balsam of Tolu tree and 

 Sarsaparilla, and to obtain, if possible, seeds and specimens. In accord- 

 ance with these instructions, Mr. Weir has communicated the following 

 interesting notice of his proceedings.] 



From inquiries made during the voyage out, and immediately on 

 landing in this country, I learnt that a good deal of the Balsam of Tolu 

 was brought down the river Magdalena annually to Barranquilla, whence 

 it is exported to Europe. I therefore thought that the best way of 

 reaching the country where the tree grows, was to go up the river to 

 one of the ports I was informed the drug came from, where I hoped 

 to be able to procure specimens and collect the desired information con- 

 cerning it. At all events, I was told that by going to one of the ports 

 on the lower Magdalena, I could cross the country to the valley of the 

 Zinu quite as easily as I could reach the mouth of that river from Car- 

 tagena by sea. 



Following up this plan, I took a passage to Mompox by the first 

 steamer up the river after my arrival at Barranquilla. On arriving at 

 Mompox, I found that no balsam was gathered there (although I had 

 been assured to the contrary in Barranquilla), and that the people gene- 

 rally did not know the tree ; a negro was recommended to me, however, 

 as having a wonderful knowledge of all kinds of " hervas y remedios" 

 and who said he knew where some of the balsam-trees grew. With this 

 man I started in a canoe for a place called Espino, about three leagues 

 distant from Mompox, and situated on the margin of one of the large 

 swamps called " ceinigas," so common on the lower part of the river. 



On reaching this place we entered the forest ; and after having toiled 

 through it for a couple of 'hours, during which I was gradually losing- 

 faith in the probity of my guide, he suddenly pointed out a tree which 

 he assured me was the balsam-tree. This confirmed the opinion I had 

 been forming — that he knew nothing about it, for the tree was certainly 

 not a Myroxylon, nor anything like one. 



I returned to Mompox in disgust. The gentleman who recommended 

 the black was much disappointed on learning the result of our excur- 

 sion, but said he had found another man, who would undertake to guide 

 me to a place where the tree was to be found. I went with him a few 

 days afterwards, but with no better success. 



I have no doubt that the tree occurs within perhaps a day's journey 



* From the Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society. 



