Jan 31. 1861.
Dear Dr Mueller
In your last welcome letter
you expressed a desire to have seeds of the
plant. We not unfrequently raise them but as they are tender with us, we never get
ripe seeds nor retain our plants: — & my advice to you was to get them from Calcutta.
But on mentioning this matter to my distinguished friend Mr Hanbury
the great chemical Druggist, he said, "Dr Mueller will only get the Tinnevalli
kind which is very inferior. We even now receive seeds with the drug of the best
sorts, & I will see what I can do among our last imports." He has just sent me the
enclosed, which are as recent as can be expected via Europe. But he adds "if these
do not germinate with Dr Mueller his only resource will be from India.
Dr Anderson who takes Dr Thomson's place at the Rl Botanic Garden Calcutta, only left
us 2 days ago for his new charge — & he will be most happy to hear from you & to render
you any service in his power. I told him that you would probably have occasion to
write to him.
Also you mentioned your desire to have seeds of
. Of that also we never raise seeds: but I have just been informed, that the upper
part of a healthy plant 2-3 feet long was cut off & planted & has struck root. This
we can well spare & it is quite at your service & in 2 or 3 mos
will be quite ready for transport, if worth sending you. It would go safely well
packed in some soft substance in a common box, dry:— & if you like some nice Cactuses
or other succulent plants might go with it in the same way.
I know not how it is but plants do not know of days
travel so securely in Wardian cases as they used to do: at any rate we have been
unfortunate of late years:— & a Wardian Case is now always opened with fear & trembling
& we are sure to find a very large proportion of deaths.
You will by this time I trust have received Parts I & II of the 2d Century of Ferns.
Part III. is nearly finished, & Part
has already all the plates executed upon stone. I have no expectation of inducing
a publisher to undertake a 3d Century. The sale is not sufficient to warrant the continuance
of such a work. And yet I am sorry for it: — for the most laboured descriptions are
not equal to a well executed figure with magnified analyses.
What a noble
that must be of which you were so good as to send me the apex of a branch. There
must be a great deal of novelty in that curious group of islands connected with New
Caledonia.
I have had the sample of
exhibited at the Philosophical Club;
& the members were delighted with it. Seemann
is now on his way home with his collections: about 1000 species.
Faithfully & affectionately yours
W. J. Hooker.
