Description

Thwaites discusses the Duke of Edinburgh's forthcoming visit to Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. There is to be a garden party at Peradeniya and he has had some trouble to prevent the garden being a little 'Cremorne-ified' [referring to the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens in London] to please certain persons. He thinks it is all very well to show proper attention to Royal Dukes, but it ought to be done in a civilized manner and not in a semi barbarous style. A trip to Hakgala, Newera [Nuwara] Eliya and the Horton Plains has done him much good, especially as he was able to add some mosses et cetera to his collection. Mitten has offered to assist him in the determination of his mosses, so he shall send Hooker a set to forward on. He leaves Hooker to make arrangements to have them published in his and Mitten's names and shall send notes with the specimens. With this letter, Hooker will receive some seeds of showy species of Acanthaceae collected this trip. He is asking his brother to send him a further supply, as they all grow near Hakgala. The garden there was looking most beautiful. The Cinchona seeds were not ripe, but as soon as they are Hooker shall receive a supply. Thwaites is obtaining from the Neilgherries [Nilgiris] some plants of the prime variety of Cinchona officinalis found by Mr Broughton to contain so large a proportion of quinine. He proposes sending Hooker, by the 'Otterburn' to go via the Suez Canal, a case of fern plants. The vessel had to stop at Alexandra to make repairs, but he hears she will probably sail from Ceylon about the end of the month, on her return to England. He has not heard from Hooker for two mails and trusts that he is not unwell. He also sends some fresh fern spores. Annotated. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.

Description

Thwaites discusses the Duke of Edinburgh's forthcoming visit to Ceylon [Sri Lanka]. There is to be a garden party at Peradeniya and he has had some trouble to prevent the garden being a little 'Cremorne-ified' [referring to the Cremorne Pleasure Gardens in London] to please certain persons. He thinks it is all very well to show proper attention to Royal Dukes, but it ought to be done in a civilized manner and not in a semi barbarous style. A trip to Hakgala, Newera [Nuwara] Eliya and the Horton Plains has done him much good, especially as he was able to add some mosses et cetera to his collection. Mitten has offered to assist him in the determination of his mosses, so he shall send Hooker a set to forward on. He leaves Hooker to make arrangements to have them published in his and Mitten's names and shall send notes with the specimens. With this letter, Hooker will receive some seeds of showy species of Acanthaceae collected this trip. He is asking his brother to send him a further supply, as they all grow near Hakgala. The garden there was looking most beautiful. The Cinchona seeds were not ripe, but as soon as they are Hooker shall receive a supply. Thwaites is obtaining from the Neilgherries [Nilgiris] some plants of the prime variety of Cinchona officinalis found by Mr Broughton to contain so large a proportion of quinine. He proposes sending Hooker, by the 'Otterburn' to go via the Suez Canal, a case of fern plants. The vessel had to stop at Alexandra to make repairs, but he hears she will probably sail from Ceylon about the end of the month, on her return to England. He has not heard from Hooker for two mails and trusts that he is not unwell. He also sends some fresh fern spores. Annotated. Pages 1 and 4 of 4.