Description

Aitchison was delighted with Hooker's letter of 12 June. Dealing with the cholera epidemic at three different places at the end of last year took it out of him. The Lieutenant Governor, Mr Egerton, referred the matter of a pass to the Commander in Charge as a personal favour, so Aitchison managed to get one. They have spent most of the time at Gulmarg, at 8600 feet. Aitchison has been tracing the Punjab and Kashmir names of drugs to the actual substance. He will send Hooker his collections, but there is not much new. The Kashmir Government have gone in for hops; two years ago Aitchison saw many in the Resident's garden at Serinuggur [Srinagar], mainly from English plants imported by the Murree Brewery. Last year the Maharajah gave the brewery land on the Jhelum River halfway between Sopen[?] and Srinagger [Srinagar] and allowed an RBG Kew man, named Beck, to carry out the work. Appreciation of Whymper, the brewery manager, and the utter failure of shawl and silk traders from sheer neglect, means that British interests are beginning to look up in Kashmir. The hops are to be sold to the Murree Brewery at average English rates. Aitchison hopes to take two years furlough next year. He wants to go to Yarkand where he thinks many new things can be done. Regarding the effects of the grass on cattle, he does not agree these are down to 'mechanical irritations', but that it is narcotic: the horses look to become drunk. The 'natives' call it 'Gûm-ai' pronounced 'Goom-eye', which means to turn round or stagger. They lose the power of their limbs and become insensible to touch or blows. Aitchison is getting Hooker some cones of Pinus gerardiana. He thinks they would travel best in a Wardian case from Bombay [Mumbai] and asks if Hooker knows anyone there to whom he could forward the seeds. Aitchison is getting the cones from Gilghet [Gilgit] in Kashmir through the Resident, Major Henderson. He hopes Hooker has enjoyed his trip to Colorado and brought home none of these beetles. Pages 1 and 4 of 5.

Description

Aitchison was delighted with Hooker's letter of 12 June. Dealing with the cholera epidemic at three different places at the end of last year took it out of him. The Lieutenant Governor, Mr Egerton, referred the matter of a pass to the Commander in Charge as a personal favour, so Aitchison managed to get one. They have spent most of the time at Gulmarg, at 8600 feet. Aitchison has been tracing the Punjab and Kashmir names of drugs to the actual substance. He will send Hooker his collections, but there is not much new. The Kashmir Government have gone in for hops; two years ago Aitchison saw many in the Resident's garden at Serinuggur [Srinagar], mainly from English plants imported by the Murree Brewery. Last year the Maharajah gave the brewery land on the Jhelum River halfway between Sopen[?] and Srinagger [Srinagar] and allowed an RBG Kew man, named Beck, to carry out the work. Appreciation of Whymper, the brewery manager, and the utter failure of shawl and silk traders from sheer neglect, means that British interests are beginning to look up in Kashmir. The hops are to be sold to the Murree Brewery at average English rates. Aitchison hopes to take two years furlough next year. He wants to go to Yarkand where he thinks many new things can be done. Regarding the effects of the grass on cattle, he does not agree these are down to 'mechanical irritations', but that it is narcotic: the horses look to become drunk. The 'natives' call it 'Gûm-ai' pronounced 'Goom-eye', which means to turn round or stagger. They lose the power of their limbs and become insensible to touch or blows. Aitchison is getting Hooker some cones of Pinus gerardiana. He thinks they would travel best in a Wardian case from Bombay [Mumbai] and asks if Hooker knows anyone there to whom he could forward the seeds. Aitchison is getting the cones from Gilghet [Gilgit] in Kashmir through the Resident, Major Henderson. He hopes Hooker has enjoyed his trip to Colorado and brought home none of these beetles. Pages 1 and 4 of 5.

Description

Aitchison was delighted with Hooker's letter of 12 June. Dealing with the cholera epidemic at three different places at the end of last year took it out of him. The Lieutenant Governor, Mr Egerton, referred the matter of a pass to the Commander in Charge as a personal favour, so Aitchison managed to get one. They have spent most of the time at Gulmarg, at 8600 feet. Aitchison has been tracing the Punjab and Kashmir names of drugs to the actual substance. He will send Hooker his collections, but there is not much new. The Kashmir Government have gone in for hops; two years ago Aitchison saw many in the Resident's garden at Serinuggur [Srinagar], mainly from English plants imported by the Murree Brewery. Last year the Maharajah gave the brewery land on the Jhelum River halfway between Sopen[?] and Srinagger [Srinagar] and allowed an RBG Kew man, named Beck, to carry out the work. Appreciation of Whymper, the brewery manager, and the utter failure of shawl and silk traders from sheer neglect, means that British interests are beginning to look up in Kashmir. The hops are to be sold to the Murree Brewery at average English rates. Aitchison hopes to take two years furlough next year. He wants to go to Yarkand where he thinks many new things can be done. Regarding the effects of the grass on cattle, he does not agree these are down to 'mechanical irritations', but that it is narcotic: the horses look to become drunk. The 'natives' call it 'Gûm-ai' pronounced 'Goom-eye', which means to turn round or stagger. They lose the power of their limbs and become insensible to touch or blows. Aitchison is getting Hooker some cones of Pinus gerardiana. He thinks they would travel best in a Wardian case from Bombay [Mumbai] and asks if Hooker knows anyone there to whom he could forward the seeds. Aitchison is getting the cones from Gilghet [Gilgit] in Kashmir through the Resident, Major Henderson. He hopes Hooker has enjoyed his trip to Colorado and brought home none of these beetles. Pages 1 and 4 of 5.