Description

Oldham writes that he is sending Hooker his accounts for the period Sep 1861 to Mar 1862 as well as list of the plants sent per the 'Emily C. Starr', along with a bill of lading for same. These things are being conveyed by Mr Glover, a merchant of Nagasaki, as far as Shanghai and from there will be forwarded to England. He also has a collection, including specimens of woods and dried plants from Nagasaki, to send by other means. The wood specimens had to be purchased as the Japanese do not allow people to go and cut down trees themselves and most of them are in the territories of the princes or 'Damios' [Diamyos] where foreigners are not allowed at all. Oldham is eager to go to Yokohama for the seed season before he is recalled home. Yokohama and Yedo [Tokyo] are the best places to obtain cultivated ornamental plants or seeds and it is easier to ship things home from Yokohama than Nagasaki. Oldham also thinks it would be advantageous for cases of living plants to go ashore at the Cape of Good Hope. Oldham has a garden of all the ferns in the Nagasaki botanical stations and of the deciduous trees he has purchased or collected from the mountains. He wants to send these living plants in the autumn, packed in cases with dry soil. Oldham hopes this demonstrates that he has not been indolent, as Hooker accused. The Consul in Nagasaki is a doctor, he has seen Oldham's collection and will attest to its extent and state, both for Hooker's benefit and for the Admiral. Oldham does admit to not writing frequently enough especially regarding bills. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.

Description

Oldham writes that he is sending Hooker his accounts for the period Sep 1861 to Mar 1862 as well as list of the plants sent per the 'Emily C. Starr', along with a bill of lading for same. These things are being conveyed by Mr Glover, a merchant of Nagasaki, as far as Shanghai and from there will be forwarded to England. He also has a collection, including specimens of woods and dried plants from Nagasaki, to send by other means. The wood specimens had to be purchased as the Japanese do not allow people to go and cut down trees themselves and most of them are in the territories of the princes or 'Damios' [Diamyos] where foreigners are not allowed at all. Oldham is eager to go to Yokohama for the seed season before he is recalled home. Yokohama and Yedo [Tokyo] are the best places to obtain cultivated ornamental plants or seeds and it is easier to ship things home from Yokohama than Nagasaki. Oldham also thinks it would be advantageous for cases of living plants to go ashore at the Cape of Good Hope. Oldham has a garden of all the ferns in the Nagasaki botanical stations and of the deciduous trees he has purchased or collected from the mountains. He wants to send these living plants in the autumn, packed in cases with dry soil. Oldham hopes this demonstrates that he has not been indolent, as Hooker accused. The Consul in Nagasaki is a doctor, he has seen Oldham's collection and will attest to its extent and state, both for Hooker's benefit and for the Admiral. Oldham does admit to not writing frequently enough especially regarding bills. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.

Description

Oldham writes that he is sending Hooker his accounts for the period Sep 1861 to Mar 1862 as well as list of the plants sent per the 'Emily C. Starr', along with a bill of lading for same. These things are being conveyed by Mr Glover, a merchant of Nagasaki, as far as Shanghai and from there will be forwarded to England. He also has a collection, including specimens of woods and dried plants from Nagasaki, to send by other means. The wood specimens had to be purchased as the Japanese do not allow people to go and cut down trees themselves and most of them are in the territories of the princes or 'Damios' [Diamyos] where foreigners are not allowed at all. Oldham is eager to go to Yokohama for the seed season before he is recalled home. Yokohama and Yedo [Tokyo] are the best places to obtain cultivated ornamental plants or seeds and it is easier to ship things home from Yokohama than Nagasaki. Oldham also thinks it would be advantageous for cases of living plants to go ashore at the Cape of Good Hope. Oldham has a garden of all the ferns in the Nagasaki botanical stations and of the deciduous trees he has purchased or collected from the mountains. He wants to send these living plants in the autumn, packed in cases with dry soil. Oldham hopes this demonstrates that he has not been indolent, as Hooker accused. The Consul in Nagasaki is a doctor, he has seen Oldham's collection and will attest to its extent and state, both for Hooker's benefit and for the Admiral. Oldham does admit to not writing frequently enough especially regarding bills. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.