Sept[ember] 30 1900.
THE CAMP, SUNNINGDALE.
My dear King You suggested that I should*1 retain for Herb[arium] Kew any unique Impatiens in the Calcutta Herbarium entrusted to me by Prain. I do not like to suggest this course to him myself -- would you mind writing to Prain about it? The fact is, that I have drawn the floret organs of every species, (where possible), after disentangling them from their surroundings (which is often like pulling them out of a glue pot!), for it is impossible to

guess what the flower of many are like till after cleaning soaking & dissecting under water. Now the specimens are useless in many cases without the drawings, & the drawings without the specimens. -- so they should be preserved together, whether at Calcutta or Kew. This a fearful & wonderful genus, I know none like it for asymmetry of perianth segments, & the extraordinary differences in type of flowers, consistently with the invariable[?] presence of two lateral sepals, lip, standard, & 4 petals confluent in pairs. The lip is certainly a 3? [stet] sepal, & the standard a 4. petal -- as generally admitted[?].

I should like to show you what I have been doing. If you cannot come but even for lunch -- I will bring some to Kew. If you can come we will send a close[?] carriage for you to the station. A train that leaves London 11. 10 - Returned[?] 11.30 would bring you here in little over an hour. We go to Cirencester on Tuesday & return on Friday[.] Ever sincerely yours | Jos.D Hooker [signature]