Description

Bonavia sends Hooker a few photographs of trees in the Horticultural Garden Lucknow [not present]. Bonavia has had charge of the garden from the beginning, soon after the mutiny, in 1877 to 1878. Then Oudh [Awadh] was annexed into the N.W.P. [North Western Provinces] and Bonavia was shunted into the 'ordinary' line of their profession. As his career is now nearing a close, he had some photos taken of his old place and is sending Hooker copies. He describes the contents of the three photos. Photo one includes a rare palm sent from the lower Himalayan ranges by the Conservator of Forests under the name Wallichia disticha, and stems of the Eucalyptus citriodora. There is also a Phoenix sylvestris and a young Oreodoxa regia. Photo two shows a rose-tunnel originally intended for the Maréchal Niel rose along with trees of Inga dulcis, which Bonavia obtained from Madras [Chennai]. The man in the picture is the head gardener whom Bonavia had from a boy and whom he taught to cross plants. Photo three is of Arabian date palms, which he introduced from the Persian Gulf. Every district in Oudh has a number of seedling date palms and Bonavia has been trying to inform people of their value. This tree can produce a high yield of fruit during famine as it gives a better crop when rain is scarce. In Lucknow the best crop was produced in 1878 when the monsoon failed. A note from Hooker to the Secretary of State might help matters. Mr Ridley, Bonavia's successor at Lucknow who was trained at RBG Kew, will do his best and with a little organisation, Oudh might be filled with Phoenix dactylifera in ten years. Bonavia has obtained instructions from the Persians about cultivation, and methods of preserving the dates. Bonavia is leaving India soon and needs somebody to keep pressing the issue in his absence, which he discusses. He has written to the Conservator of Forests at Mysore and Coorg [Kodagu] to find out how the trees are doing there. Bonavia is a Surgeon Major with the I.M.D. [Indian Medical Department]. Pages 1 and 4 of 9.

Description

Bonavia sends Hooker a few photographs of trees in the Horticultural Garden Lucknow [not present]. Bonavia has had charge of the garden from the beginning, soon after the mutiny, in 1877 to 1878. Then Oudh [Awadh] was annexed into the N.W.P. [North Western Provinces] and Bonavia was shunted into the 'ordinary' line of their profession. As his career is now nearing a close, he had some photos taken of his old place and is sending Hooker copies. He describes the contents of the three photos. Photo one includes a rare palm sent from the lower Himalayan ranges by the Conservator of Forests under the name Wallichia disticha, and stems of the Eucalyptus citriodora. There is also a Phoenix sylvestris and a young Oreodoxa regia. Photo two shows a rose-tunnel originally intended for the Maréchal Niel rose along with trees of Inga dulcis, which Bonavia obtained from Madras [Chennai]. The man in the picture is the head gardener whom Bonavia had from a boy and whom he taught to cross plants. Photo three is of Arabian date palms, which he introduced from the Persian Gulf. Every district in Oudh has a number of seedling date palms and Bonavia has been trying to inform people of their value. This tree can produce a high yield of fruit during famine as it gives a better crop when rain is scarce. In Lucknow the best crop was produced in 1878 when the monsoon failed. A note from Hooker to the Secretary of State might help matters. Mr Ridley, Bonavia's successor at Lucknow who was trained at RBG Kew, will do his best and with a little organisation, Oudh might be filled with Phoenix dactylifera in ten years. Bonavia has obtained instructions from the Persians about cultivation, and methods of preserving the dates. Bonavia is leaving India soon and needs somebody to keep pressing the issue in his absence, which he discusses. He has written to the Conservator of Forests at Mysore and Coorg [Kodagu] to find out how the trees are doing there. Bonavia is a Surgeon Major with the I.M.D. [Indian Medical Department]. Pages 1 and 4 of 9.

Description

Bonavia sends Hooker a few photographs of trees in the Horticultural Garden Lucknow [not present]. Bonavia has had charge of the garden from the beginning, soon after the mutiny, in 1877 to 1878. Then Oudh [Awadh] was annexed into the N.W.P. [North Western Provinces] and Bonavia was shunted into the 'ordinary' line of their profession. As his career is now nearing a close, he had some photos taken of his old place and is sending Hooker copies. He describes the contents of the three photos. Photo one includes a rare palm sent from the lower Himalayan ranges by the Conservator of Forests under the name Wallichia disticha, and stems of the Eucalyptus citriodora. There is also a Phoenix sylvestris and a young Oreodoxa regia. Photo two shows a rose-tunnel originally intended for the Maréchal Niel rose along with trees of Inga dulcis, which Bonavia obtained from Madras [Chennai]. The man in the picture is the head gardener whom Bonavia had from a boy and whom he taught to cross plants. Photo three is of Arabian date palms, which he introduced from the Persian Gulf. Every district in Oudh has a number of seedling date palms and Bonavia has been trying to inform people of their value. This tree can produce a high yield of fruit during famine as it gives a better crop when rain is scarce. In Lucknow the best crop was produced in 1878 when the monsoon failed. A note from Hooker to the Secretary of State might help matters. Mr Ridley, Bonavia's successor at Lucknow who was trained at RBG Kew, will do his best and with a little organisation, Oudh might be filled with Phoenix dactylifera in ten years. Bonavia has obtained instructions from the Persians about cultivation, and methods of preserving the dates. Bonavia is leaving India soon and needs somebody to keep pressing the issue in his absence, which he discusses. He has written to the Conservator of Forests at Mysore and Coorg [Kodagu] to find out how the trees are doing there. Bonavia is a Surgeon Major with the I.M.D. [Indian Medical Department]. Pages 1 and 4 of 9.