THE CAMP,
SUNNINGDALE.
26th Dec[ember] 1899 *1
My dear Strachey *2
I have digested the letters herewith returned -- they suggest two chief points for consideration, & sundry minor:--
The chief are, 1) Whether the lists should be printed without the species of your own collecting being indicated by their numbers & then Hall--marked" by a comparison of the names specimens with the types of Fl[ora]. B[ritish]. Ind[ia] -- 2) whether the list are is sufficiently brought up to date for the purpose of great analytic tables treatments[?].
1) I agree with Clarke & Dyer, that your own collections should be indicated by their original numbers, & that be regarded as verified there[sic] nomenclature be authentic. The omission of your own numbers takes away all my interest in the work, it simply emascu--

--lates it. My great wish has always been to see your list published with authenticated names as being the first serious attempt ever made to collect & determine the elements of the Flora of a section of the Himalaya at all elevations from the planes[sic] to Tibet. In this you succeeded, now just half a century ago, were no other list ever to appear, that, with its appended observations would [6 words crossed out, illeg.] still give the only satisfactory view of the vegetation of [9 words crossed out, illeg.] the Himalaya as it is obtainable from one section.
*3 From it might be drawn a sketch for the first time an adequate sketch of the vegetation of the three Himalayan regions, their relations to one another, & to the; floras of Europe, of the [1 word crossed out, illeg.] Western section & Northern area & of S. India & Malaya: of the proportions of the great groups of Phaenogams (as Monocots to Dicots.) in each region; & it afforded formed a basis for comparison with the flora of other sections of the Himalaya.
It is hence of great historic value. You have merged [4 words crossed out, illeg.] with a general more extended list. I should not object to that were your collection, properly indicated therein. *4 The only admissible substitute for the numbers would be a column with St[rachey]. & W[interbottom] opposite of affixed to each species gathered by yourselves. As to Hall--marking, your nomenclature, that I take it is has been done, by the nucleus if (as I suppose you have) you have adopted same

for the species the names & nomenclature of Fl[ora]. B[ritish]. Ind[ia]. [1 word crossed out, illeg.] during the compilation of which all your collection came under review. There may be some names to reconsider -- & some genera to revise with recept recent monographs (to which latter I shall allude hereafter *5 under the bringing up to date) but this cannot involve serious labor.
I agree with Clarke in the [1 word crossed out, illeg.] necessity of indicating in the new list alterations of names adopted in the old [5 words crossed out, illeg.]. These cannot be very numerous, & would be relegated to foot notes or to an appendix of altered names.
2 As to the list being brought up to date -- that depends on how far Duthie has kept to date in what you have added from him. I do not agree with Clarke that you should wait for or be deterred from printing by any forthcoming work by Duthie. I agree with you that your list will be of great value to Kumaon collectors

& despite its imperfections to Botanists. There are [2 words crossed out, illeg.] monographs of genera subsequent to Fl[ora]. B[ritish]. I[ndia]. that I should not be hope Duthie has not overlooked as Prain's monograph of Indian Pedicularis & Corydalis. Of Pedicularis he has 17 Kumaon species. His Kumaon is Sutlej & Karnalid[? Karnal?], & may include species not in your Kumaon; but 14 certainly are -- of which 4 have names altered from Fl[ora]. B[ritish]. I[ndia]. -- Of Corydalis he has 50 Indian species against 24 in Fl[ora]. B[ritish]. I[ndia].! I have not exhausted the Kumaon
One more point: I protest emphatically against your proposal in regard of expenses of confining the issues to 150 copies distributing a few & sending the rest to Dehra. Such privately offered[?] works are night mares, sneaks, intolerable nuisances. Their importance gets exaggerated, & they are vainly sought for & are cited by those who have them though inaccessible to others. Print 500 & put them on sale by commission -- the sale will for more than cover the expense of the extra 300 not copies.*6