Hooker, Sir Joseph Dalton
JHC1511
MUN/1/132-133
Munro, General William
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
25 Oct 1871
© The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Letters to General William Munro
The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
English
Original MS
8 page letter over 2 folios
 
Transcript

misrepresentations & worse. I have informed all the Principal Secretaries of State, who are also ex officio members of the Board of Works, that I can no longer carry on my duties at Kew under Mr Ayrton's rule with satisfaction to myself or justice to the public[?] service. adding that I have addressed the Prime Minister on the subject. I am curious to see what will come of it all. [1 word illeg.] it is a pretty[?] kettle of fish & a deputation is forming to wait on Gladstone to beg

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Oct[ober] 25/[18]71
ROYAL GARDENS KEW
Dear Munro*1
What is Thrinax barbadense[?], said to be the [1 word illeg.] species known. Can you ascertain, probably it was sent from Guadeloupe to Barbados.
Please tell me when you write what is the proper treatment for Adiantum Farleyense[?], we have two splendid plants from Mr Thyss[?] that have

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grown enormously, but I am afraid that we are growing them too fast for a continuance -- should they have a dry season? a cold season -- or how should they be rested?
I am hard at work fighting Ayrton, have addressed Gladstone officially again & roused the whole Cabinet. I am prepared to show that he has served the Prime Minister with a tissue of

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misrepresentations & worse. I have informed all the Principal Secretaries of State, who are also ex officio members of the Board of Works, that I can no longer carry on my duties at Kew under Mr Ayrton's rule with satisfaction to myself or justice to the public[?] service. adding that I have addressed the Prime Minister on the subject. I am curious to see what will come of it all. [1 word illeg.] it is a pretty[?] kettle of fish & a deputation is forming to wait on Gladstone to beg

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him to appoint a Board of Visitors for Kew.
I saw your sister in Torquay[?] the other day looking well. You will be sorry to hear how ill my Mother is with the hip-bone[?] again in which I fear hopeless disease has set in. Mr [1 word illeg.] too is very poorly. We are all well here & unite in sincere regards.
Melocactus never germinated. We want young plants very badly -- please make out if Melocactus continues to grow after the crown is formed. Brown[?] has made it grow in England & I begin to suspect that the formation of the crown is the *2 end of all things [1 word illeg.] Bentham continues very ill with Melancholia, [1 word illeg.] is off to Ceylon & Madras with the [1 word illeg.] Expedition on a [1 word illeg.] of Indian [1 word illeg.].

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of the Colony -- from Schumberghs[?] time[?] & ever since -- this great[?] stream[?] seems to be shut to ordinary voyagers & commerce -- How difficult for the Amazons!
I send a note from Oliver regarding your pretty [1 word illeg.] -- I think that both are attractions in England. -- but we are still all adrift in flowering tropical things -- Peat sand & water are still our panacea, & I have but little success in inaugurating a new system all are opposed: & so we go on.
Smith is pretty well, for him,

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has had a month in Scotland & bought many thousands of trees & shrubs. I am now [1 word illeg.] woods & shrubberies & shall be busy at this for the next 18 months. I am promised a larger sum next year for the purpose, & have screwed £350 out this autumn as a special grant for removing dead trees & dying ditto, with which we are loaded.
I hope much that you will go soon to Jamaica. I have

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just sent thither the best man Kew ever sent out -- for the Jamaica Herb Garden -- he was under Wilson[?] Saunders[?] for 5 years & is very fond of Botany -- Unluckily he will be under [1 word illeg.], who is neither a good gardener nor intelligent man I fear & who has the [1 word illeg.] & plantations, a day's journey from the Gardens (Castleton). I am urging Sir J. P. Grant to separate the appointments if possible. [1 word illeg.] was sent out by my Father as

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a mere scrub[?] under Wilson (late Col Botanist) at £100 -- my father telling the C.O. that he could get no better at the price -- he is active & a good manager I believe of plantations & so forth. but has evidently no notion of Gardening proper & none whatever of plants.
We are all well, Willy is doing nicely at Mr La Touche, Charles not so well at Marlborough -- I shall remove him in winter, [3 words illeg.] Brian is doing nicely at [1 word illeg.] With [1 word illeg.] regards
Most sinc[erel]y y[our]s | Jos D Hooker [signature]
*3Bentham is quite well. [1 word illeg.] I can neither see nor get answers from -- he is spending the winter in [1 word illeg.]. [1 word illeg.] death is a blow to me of the heaviest description I cannot get over it

ENDNOTES


1. General William Munro
2. The wording from here to the end of the paragraph is written vertically up the left hand margin of page 1.
3. The wording from here to the end of the letter is written vertically up the left hand margin of page 5.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible.

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