Transcript
Royal Gardens, Kew.
April 14, /[18]73.
Dear Lady Jardine
The Epimedium is pinnatum. The El. is Elaeagnus and the species is probably a variety of E.hortensis, which yields an eatable berry much used for making sherbet in the East.
I can find no species called odoratus or ederlis -- but it may be some lately introduced Japan species of which we know nothing. Elaeagnus odoratus is no doubt the name intended by the seller.
The Moss arrived yesterday and is in excellent. We are most thankful. Mr Smith begs hard that I should entreat you to get him three sacksful more, letting us either pay the expense, or if Sir William will not hear of that, let us make your Gardener a present of a sovereign for his trouble. Now, dear Lady J., do you think you can manage that for us. I don't ask you to excuse my exigeance, for I am sure you would not let me do that, though oh and indeed I ought to!
We should be as glad of 150 more Gualtherias and any quantity stuffed in of the Epimedium and Asarum and Sanguinaria.
Do let us know what stove, hot house, or green house plants we can offer you in return. Now have faith when you ask ! and don't be shy, and above all thank Sir William heartily.
I am now about to lay out and shrub the terrace opposite the new range, and shall make some beds with peat and fill them
Royal Gardens, Kew.
April 14, /[18]73.
Dear Lady Jardine
The Epimedium is pinnatum. The El. is Elaeagnus and the species is probably a variety of E.hortensis, which yields an eatable berry much used for making sherbet in the East.
I can find no species called odoratus or ederlis -- but it may be some lately introduced Japan species of which we know nothing. Elaeagnus odoratus is no doubt the name intended by the seller.
The Moss arrived yesterday and is in excellent. We are most thankful. Mr Smith begs hard that I should entreat you to get him three sacksful more, letting us either pay the expense, or if Sir William will not hear of that, let us make your Gardener a present of a sovereign for his trouble. Now, dear Lady J., do you think you can manage that for us. I don't ask you to excuse my exigeance, for I am sure you would not let me do that, though oh and indeed I ought to!
We should be as glad of 150 more Gualtherias and any quantity stuffed in of the Epimedium and Asarum and Sanguinaria.
Do let us know what stove, hot house, or green house plants we can offer you in return. Now have faith when you ask ! and don't be shy, and above all thank Sir William heartily.
I am now about to lay out and shrub the terrace opposite the new range, and shall make some beds with peat and fill them
with the Gualtherias and plant in it also masses of the Asarum, and Epimedium and Sanguinaria, and shall call the beds after you. I have a notion that I can grow Cyclamens, and many other things in such beds, which we cannot do in our ordinary Kew soil.
Our Mentone trip is knocked on the head by the sad illness of George Henslow*1, F.'s*2 youngest brother, who has utterly knocked himself up with work of all sorts and is paralysed very suddenly. F. has been helping to nurse him in London. It is a sad affair. He had just re-married, a very nice and suitable person, and has three young children and two houses of pupils on his hands; besides Lectures on Botany and what not. We shall wait a little to see the issue, which may be quick, or may take months. Paget*3 says he will never be better; he is quite bed-ridden.
F. is far from well; she will go to the Darwin's for a few days for a change; that is close by.
The Darwins were in Town for a month, he very well.
With sincere regards to Sir William, Ever affectly[sic] yours, | Jos.D.Hooker.
Please send all by luggage train, or goods train.
with the Guualtherias, and Epimedium and Sanguinaria, and shall[sic]*4
1. George Henslow (1835 -- 1925). Happily he recovered (as described in Hooker’s letter to Charles Darwin dated 16/9/1873) and later became the Royal Horticultural Society's Professor of Botany.
2. Frances Harriet Hooker née Henslow (1825 --1874). Joseph Hooker's first wife.
3. Sir James Paget, 1st baronet (1814 – 99) a famous surgeon.
4. This appears to be a single line of text on the reverse side of the letter probably typed in error.
Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible. If users identify any errors in the transcript, please contact archives@kew.org.
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