and Schultes has observed them all--in every stage of their development, in various seasons and forests.

Over the years he has become well known to some of the tribes, he says, and describes the Indians as "simple, honest, loyal people. They are very trustworthy as long as you treat them as gentlemen."

In another area of his work, he has extensively studied the "domestication of new crop plants," which means he is attempting to discover methods of growing certain plants which here particularly useful and valuable yields.

For example, he is currently attempting to convince the U.S. government to experiment with growing a palm-tree-type plant that produces a chemical oil similar to olive oil.

Currently, Schultes is devoting much of his time to writing his eighth book on botany which will deal primarily with the rubber trees. Using his drawerful of weatherbeaten notebooks, accumulated over decades of work in the tropics, he is attempting the first complete classification of the plant.

But, he says, he may never live to see the results of his experiments because it takes approximately eight years for a rubber tree to flower.

While Schultes says he plans to retire from teaching in June 1985, he adds that he will continue his research.

Moreover, he vows he will continue to take his annual journeys to the Amazon as long as he is able to walk.

"It's a wonderful place," he says.