Description

[Associated with folio 153/259] Gammie sends his thanks for the Bermuda cedar seeds. He cannot send any of the upland rice yet as it was all sown last month. The Lepchas are all subsisting on roots et cetera from the jungle, along with 'plains-rice' when they can afford it. There will be plenty in three months' time. He presumes his correspondent wants the kind that does not require irrigation. There are several sorts grown by the Nepaulese [Nepalese] up to about 4000 feet, but only one sort that grows in an ordinary field without irrigation. He is sorry about the mistake in gathering seeds of Aeschynanthus; this year he shall mark several plants of A. peelii when in flower so as to be sure of it afterwards. He sent plants of Bucklandia to the Calcutta [Kolkata] Botanic Gardens for his correspondent this year, and will send both seeds and plants of Hodgsonia when the seed ripens in August. Although it is a common plant, the Lepchas eat a lot of the seeds so they are hard to get. The Ipecacuanha is still flourishing and he hopes to have a few thousand plants soon. The plants sent out by Lawson & Sons appear to be a distinct variety compared to the original stock from RBG Kew. Those from the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens are the same as RBG Kew's and have rougher leaves than Lawson's. He hopes the two are merely varieties. Lawson's plants do not correspond with the description of the 'true Ipecacuanha'. Dr and Mrs King will be arriving in a fortnight. Gammie had Mr Hume, the Secretary in the Agricultural Department, there last week. Hume was pleased with the progress of the Cinchona. Gammie hopes Mr Smith is well, he has not heard from him for a long time. Page 1 of 3.

Description

[Associated with folio 153/259] Gammie sends his thanks for the Bermuda cedar seeds. He cannot send any of the upland rice yet as it was all sown last month. The Lepchas are all subsisting on roots et cetera from the jungle, along with 'plains-rice' when they can afford it. There will be plenty in three months' time. He presumes his correspondent wants the kind that does not require irrigation. There are several sorts grown by the Nepaulese [Nepalese] up to about 4000 feet, but only one sort that grows in an ordinary field without irrigation. He is sorry about the mistake in gathering seeds of Aeschynanthus; this year he shall mark several plants of A. peelii when in flower so as to be sure of it afterwards. He sent plants of Bucklandia to the Calcutta [Kolkata] Botanic Gardens for his correspondent this year, and will send both seeds and plants of Hodgsonia when the seed ripens in August. Although it is a common plant, the Lepchas eat a lot of the seeds so they are hard to get. The Ipecacuanha is still flourishing and he hopes to have a few thousand plants soon. The plants sent out by Lawson & Sons appear to be a distinct variety compared to the original stock from RBG Kew. Those from the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens are the same as RBG Kew's and have rougher leaves than Lawson's. He hopes the two are merely varieties. Lawson's plants do not correspond with the description of the 'true Ipecacuanha'. Dr and Mrs King will be arriving in a fortnight. Gammie had Mr Hume, the Secretary in the Agricultural Department, there last week. Hume was pleased with the progress of the Cinchona. Gammie hopes Mr Smith is well, he has not heard from him for a long time. Page 1 of 3.