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228 NOTES OF A BOTANIST
form plantations of these precious trees on a large
scale. This task will occupy me (if my life be
spared) the greater part of next year.
The expedition to the woods above spoken of
(in August and September of 1859) was to make
myself acquainted with the different sorts of Barks,
and to ascertain what facilities existed for procuring
their seeds, etc., or, more properly speaking, what
difficulties had to be overcome, and I assure you
they are not slight ones. I established myself
in a
sugar hacienda about half-way between Riobamba
and Cu.enca, and five days' journey from Ambato,
and from thence penetrated two days' journey
farther into the forest towards the west, or nearly
to the roots of the Andes on the Pacific side. The
owner of the hacienda, Don Pepe Leon, a descend-
ant of a noble Spanish family, and his wife, Senora
Manuelita (a handsome and very clever Ambatina
-most of the handsome women are of Ambato),
were very agreeable people, and I spent a pleasant
time with them.
NOTES OF A VISIT TO THE CINCHONA FORESTS IN
THE VALLEY OF ALAUSI, ON THE WESTERN
SLOPE OF THE QUITONIAN ANDES
To Sir William Hooker
AMBATO, Oct. 20, 1859.
My last letter informed you that I was contemplating
an expedition to the forests producing
the Cinchona tree on the western slopes of the
Quitonian Andes. I was for some time doubtful as
to what part 1 should visit. It was but two or three