Flora Medica

CINCHONA.made by Mr. Poppig, in the account of his journey in South America ;of the translation in the Companion to the Botanical Magazine Ihave made large use. It is very much to be wished that Mr. Poppigwould furnish the world with the many other facts he must possessconcerning this interesting subject. No genus is more worthy ofa monograph than Cinchona, and no one could write that monographso well as Mr. Poppig.As a specimen of the way in which this accomplished writer handleshis subject,I close these remarks with the following extract upon thevery important " subject of the climate producing barks of the finestquality The : principal districts of the bark collectors are situatedon what is called the Montana de Huanuco, that is in the woods, whichcommencing near Ceja, in the province of Huamalies, stretch eastwardthrough the northern part of Huanuco, and especially abound in theQuebrado of Chinchao ;also filling the valleys of the mountains ofMuiia, Acomayo, and Panataguas, and losing themselves probably nearthe Rio Pachitea. The Cascarilleros of Huanuco range through theeastern side of the Andes in that province, and skirting the Rio Monzon,reap a rich harvest in the valley of Huallaga, and in the extraordinarydeep valleys and defiles, such as the Quebradas of Chinchaoand Casapi, which every where intersect and divide the country in thisdirection. Beyond the bounds that I have stated, the Cinchona treesgrow in such a shrubby state that their bark, though powerful in quality,is unsuited for the purposes of commerce, and to the north of theHuallaga again, where the valleys are close and warm, its virtues areso deteriorated, as either to be entirely rejected by the merchants inLima, or to fetch only a very inferior price, as it is easily distinguishablefrom the true Huanuco bark. The same species of Cinchona is somuch affected by a subalpine situation and warm temperature as toproduce an entirely different bark, a fact which I have verified bynumerous experiments. The habit of the tree, too, is materiallychanged. All this is quite contrary to the opinion of Condamine, whomakes the extraordinary assertion that the barks of the warm districtsare the most powerful, while he virtually contradicts himself by stating,a few pages farther on, that the Cinchona from Jaen de Bracomoroswas so bad that its very name condemned and rendered it unsaleable inPanama. The environs of Jaen are very low, being stated by Humboldtas having about the same altitude and temperature as the lowerHuallaga, and to this day its produce is considered of quality inferiorto what comes from Mayobamba, Chacapoyas, and Lamas.The small quantities of bark that are obtainable on the Jalcas, at considerableelevations, are sent to Truxillo, the natural port for theproduce of this district, and bear a fair character, though the trade isonly occasional. The bark from Mayobamba is very small, andgathered from the Cascarilla boba, which, even about Cuchero, possessesbut little efficacy, and in the warmer atmosphere of Maynas is entirelyinert. It was with these descriptions of bark that the cunning Peruviansdeceived the rash and eager people from Brazil, who, after havingexpelled the Spaniards, hoped to realise and possess some of thefabled treasures of Peru, by making extensive commercial enterprisesto Yurimagnas and Mayobamba. No wonder that the speculators ofPara cursed the Peruvian bark trade (see Marlins's Travels, vol. iii.p. 1178.), for the article that I found lying unsold at Para was thevery worst that could be sent from Peru. Even now, the ignorance411