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I was asked to stay at "La Molina", and in May 1955 I have succeeded to obtain a loan from the School of 4'000.00 Peruvian soles.
It was not a favor, as according to Peruvian Law the employee has the right to ask -as a loan- for 3 monthly salaries in advance, repayable in small installments (according to the law).
1955 October 1955 November As some sections of the Botanical Garden were re-shaped, and there were no plants to plant, I decided to make a trip to the river Huallaga jungle in order to collect living plants and seeds. Doctor O. Velarde N. calculated that to cover the travelling, living and collecting expenses - one must have at least 100 Peruvian soles per day; The School could give only 1'000.00 soles, just enough to get to Tingo Maria and to pay for the river Huallaga canoe in order to get into the proper jungle zone!
By some miraculous act of Providence, the mentioned botanist secured for me a grant of 4'000.00 soles from the kindest manager of the E. R. Squibb Laboratories at Lima : I had to collect medicinal plants and the corresponding material for chemical study in the Huallaga region. ((as a matter of fact I have collected for Squibb's and for Dr. Velarde : 34 herbarium-plant-species, and forwarded by plane 4 lots of root, bark and latex-material for chemical analysis - total weight of 80 kgs. The Squibb's manager suggested my extensive collecting for him in the vast Departments of Loreto, San Martin and Huamuco, especially any plants related to Rauwolfia Duckei, Markgr. As I stated that similar work would need at least two years of hard exploring and collecting, a reasonable salary on basis of a contract,-- the very kind gentleman was rather interested and could -later on- contact me through Dr. Velarde.
The medicinal plant herbarium was far from being good : most of the plants as Tabernae montana, Banisteria, Maytemus and locally known powerful disease curing ones as curare, murrie, sangugos, shillinto, macota, hugullucuy, etc. etc. - had in October -November neither flowers nor fruit. Good collecting results could be secured months later, probably from January on. ...... When I consider what I could have accomplished during all these dreary, long and wasted years at La Molina, well.....))
I have contracted 3 natives, and we worked very hard indeed: we remitted by plane to Lima 20 large packages of living plants, bulbs and seeds; 75 small palms "palmiche", 50 "pones", 50 Muritias, 20 "inchave", 20 "ponilla", 10 "ungurave", 25 Costus, 20 Lonchocarpus, 250 different Anthuriums, I Brunfelsia, 25 "arbol de pan", 25 Ananas, 25 Heves, 10 different Heliconias, 50 Pachystachys, 20 Cyclanthus, 50 Anona, 10 Cecropia, 20 different Piper, I Banisteria, Dieffenbachias, Urceolinas, Hippeastrum, Caladiums, Tabernaemontana Foeppigii, Centropogon, Bomaress, Quillo-miss, Tephrosia toxicaria, Marentas, Flcuses etc. etc., in all some 917 small plants with perfect roots and packed up perfectly in moss and humidity-keeping packing material.
But -as later on I could ascertain- the packages were kept days and days both at La Molina and at the University (Dr.Velarde), without even opening them; neither prof. Gaudron, nor Ferreyra, nor Velarde, nor the gardener Salinas hastened to have them properly taken care of and planted. It will be fortunate if some 150 plants will succeed.
This two months' collecting has cost me 9'320 soles; my three months' salaries, the Squibb's grant and the School's one thousand soles.
As I have collected the very necessary plants to people the Botanical Garden of the National Agricultural School La Molina, there was no right to make me sacrifice even my salaries - for said Institution. Rather , I could have hoped that the School would concede me an extra reward for such a work, for hiring hands, paying transportations etc. Thus - I do consider that the School owes me not only the 4'320 soles of my salaries, spent for them, but also the sum granted by the Squibb's. Having no reserve of any past salaries at my disposal, I keep on contracting
