JDH addresses a series of points raised in a recent letter from Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer. the subjects are as follows: Indian Museum Collections coming from the India Office to RBG Kew, a potential site for [Marianne North's] Gallery, the colour of the glass houses, letters from Gerard Noel [First Commisioner of Works], arranging for Marianne North to visit Kew, JDH's return from Scotland in time to catch Morris, 'the Works' affair', a letter to Wilson & Cadder, & a matter that prompts JDH to feel sorry for 'Wall'. JDH adds that he is working on Williamson's supplement to his Royal Society paper on Tranquairia, which he claims is the sporange of Lepidonotus & Anellides & that they are macrospores.
Transcript
Craigflower
Aug[ust] 20th [18]79
Dear Dyer*1
Thanks for yours of yesterday.
1. I hope the I[ndian] O[ffice] letter, about the I[ndian] Mus[eum] collections, will be
sent on to us at once, & we must enforce our terms.
2. The sterile tract to the east of [the] avenue I thought of: my chief objection was, that it was rather too near a main path, & wou the Gallery would be made a rest--house of in a greater degree than we should like, I should
Craigflower
Aug[ust] 20th [18]79
Dear Dyer*1
Thanks for yours of yesterday.
1. I hope the I[ndian] O[ffice] letter, about the I[ndian] Mus[eum] collections, will be
sent on to us at once, & we must enforce our terms.
2. The sterile tract to the east of [the] avenue I thought of: my chief objection was, that it was rather too near a main path, & wou the Gallery would be made a rest--house of in a greater degree than we should like, I should
prefer it where it would help to draw the public off the main routes.
3. I never did like our white glass--houses -- & should be glad of any shade of either stone color, brown blue or red or green introduced outside & red or blue inside. Pray use your judgement. The red will suit our gravel.
4. I send Mr Noel's*3 letters.
5. I shall offer to Miss North*2 to be at Kew on Friday 29th leaving this by the night train of Thursday, & returning
by the night train of Friday or day train of Saturday, & shall be right glad of your hospitality -- tell H[arriet Anne Thistelton-Dyer, née Hooker] with my love. I think that by coming this early I may catch Morris.
6. Yes -- I have long thought that the Works' affair would Eventuate as you say.
7. The letter to Wilson & Cadder is excellent. I return it herewith. -- We must pay them out for taking such information as a matter of duty on our part.
8. I am sorry for Wall, but not very. Their men put all their eggs into one basket & suffer accordingly.
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I am groaning over a long supplement of Williamson's*4 to his R[oyal] S[ociety] paper on Traquairia which he finds (apparently) is the sporange of Lepidonotus & Anellides that they are macrospores!!! The whole question is "in" an "Eugonic" state.
Ever aff[ectionatel]y yours | J D Hooker [signature]
Sum Sun out at last!
P.S. I return the letter about Taylor which will do extremely well.
Please file Miss North's & Mr Noel's letters.
1. Sir William Turner Thiselton--Dyer (1843 -- 1928). British botanist and third Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (1885 --1905). He succeeded Joseph Hooker in the role after serving as his Assistant Director for ten years. He previoiusly held professorships at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Royal College of Science for Ireland and the Royal Horticultural Society. He married Hooker's eldest daughter Harriet in 1877.
2. Marianne North (1830 -- 1890) was a remarkable Victorian artist who travelled the globe in order to record the world's flora with her paintbrush. In 1879 she conceived the idea of presenting her paintings to Kew. She also offered to provide a suitable building in which to display them.
3. Gerard Noel (1823--1911). British Conservative politician. First Comisioner of Works from Aug 1876 to April 1880, in which role he had government oversight of the running of RBG Kew.
4. William Crawford Williamson (1816 -- 1895) was an English naturalist and palaeobotanist. He moved from a medical career to become professor of natural history and geology at Owen's College, Manchester in 1851, retaining the chair of botany down to 1892. His later years were devoted to the study and invesetigation of the structure of fossil plants.
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