ON  THE  ROOT-BARK  OF  THE  CINCHONA.  431 
that  is  allowed  in  the  woods,  where  they  are  destroyed  by  the 
barbarous  method  of  pulling  up  the  roots.  Fortunately  this 
destructive  method,  which,  without  any  doubt,  would  extirpate 
this  precious  plant  in  a  few  years,  is  only  practised  in  the 
forests  of  Pitayo,  where  it  is  due  to  the  immoderate  desire  of 
making  money  which  has  taken  possession  of  the  Indians  who 
own  the  greater  part  of  the  land.  But  in  none  of  the  other 
establishments  for  the  collection  of  bark,  in  this  country,  has  a 
similar  scandal  been  repeated.  On  the  contrary,  beneficial 
rules  are  observed  for  the  conservancy  of  the  woods,  more 
especially  in  those  where  I  have  a  proprietary  interest.  The 
method  consists  in  leaving  a  part  of  the  trunk,  about  three  feet 
in  height,  whence  shoot3  may  sprout,  and  in  clearing  away  the 
surrounding  trees  to  enable  the  rays  of  the  sun  to  penetrate. 
By  this  means  most  of  the  trees  that  are  cut  down  quickly 
shoot  up,  and  the  rays  of  the  sun  penetrating  to  the  cleared 
ground,  the  seeds  which  fall  from  the  tree  germinate  freely. 
Thus  we  have  the  satisfaction  of  seeing,  in  the  forest  worked 
on  this  principle,  that  the  trunks  of  cut  trees  send  out  new 
shoots,  and  that  the  young  plants  grow  vigorously.  This  result 
gives  us  full  confidence  that  the  good  kinds  of  quinas,  which 
exists  in  the  country,  will  be  permanently  preserved. 
"  From  the  above  considerations  we  may  conclude  that  there 
need  be  no  fear  that  humanity  will  see  itself  deprived  of  this 
precious  medicine,  seeing  that  as  well  in  Bolivia  as  in  Peru, 
Ecuador,  and  New  Grenada,  the  rule  of  cutting  the  bark  accord- 
ing to  a  fixed  plan  is  observed,  and  care  is  taken  that  the 
woods  are  replenished  with  increased  numbers  of  plants  of  the 
best  species,  while  some  experiments  have  been  made  in  form- 
ing plantations  on  land  where  the  best  conditions  for  their 
growth  #are  found.  From  all  this  we  hope  that  in  a  few  years 
we  may  see  magnificent  results." 
There  can  be  but  one  opinion  as  to  the  inexpediency  of  con- 
tinuing the  "  barbarous  practice  "  referred  to,  whatever  comes 
of  the  question  as  to  the  comparative  produce  of  the  root-bark. 
My  observations  apply  to  the  root-bark  of  the  Calisaya  as  found 
in  commerce  accompanying  that  of  the  trunk  and  branches. 
The  low  price  which  this  brings,  amid  all  the  keen  competition 
of  the  bark  sales  here,  is  sufficient  evidence  of  its  inferiority.  I 
