PERROTTET AND THE PHILIPPINES. 
By C. B. Robinson. 
(From the Botanical Section of the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, 
Manila, P. I.) 
Samuel Perrottet, who had during the preceding two years occupied 
the position of botanical-horticulturist at the Jardin des Plantes at Paris, 
was chosen, in 1818, to accompany an expedition to the tropics in the 
interests of agriculture and botany. He left Paris on the 9th of October 
of that year, five days later reached Rochefort on the west coast of 
Prance, and sailed thence on Le Rhone on the 1st of January, 1819. 
The first stop was at Cayenne on the coast of South America, where they 
remained from the 1st to the 27th of February; they reached Praya in 
the Cape Verde Islands on the 10th of April, and Reunion in the 
Mascarene Islands on June 26. They again sailed on July 27, arrived 
at Sourabaya in Java on September 13, left October 15, and reached 
Zamboanga in Mindanao on a date not stated. They were here until 
December 2, and arrived at Cavite on December 23. Prom here Per- 
rottet says that he explored the Island of “Manille” in all directions, 
but had to leave too soon, as his orders had to be fulfilled. These were 
to engage Chinese to introduce the methods of tropical agriculture into 
the French colonies, and when they sailed they had with them thirty- 
seven of this race, of whom one was taken as far as Prance. They sailed 
from Manila on the 17th of March, 1820, came to Reunion on May 5, 
Madagascar on June 6, and Cayenne on August 10, where they remained 
until the 1st of June, 1821. Thence he returned on La Durance, which 
had accompanied them on their southern journey, reached Havre on 
July 18, and Paris on the 1st of August. 
The main object was to introduce into the French colonies named, 
such tropical plants as were likely to be of value, and much was done 
in this direction. In addition, they brought back to Paris, seeds, living 
and dried plants. The former were cultivated at the Jardin des Plantes, 
and three years later Perrottet published in the Memoires of the 
Linnaean Society of Paris, a “Catalogue raisonne des plantes introduites 
dans les colonies francaises de Mascareigne et de Cayenne, et de celles 
rapportees vivantes des mers d’Asie et de la Guyane, au Jardin des 
Plantes de Paris.” 1 
1 Mem. Hoc. Linn. Paris 3 (1824) 89-151. 
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