The Camp Dec[ember] 7/[18]98
My dear Prain I have yours’ of Dec[ember] 7th & the packet of seeds of Impatiens, which I shall hand over to Kew with instructions to let me know of their flowering, so as to identify them into the specimens. I have no one here to whom I could submit them. Nor[?] have I pits[?] for raising plants. Thank you much all the same. I shall leave the dried specimens entrusted to a careful Herb[arium] Assistant, who will lookout for the flowering of the seeds. I expect the Herb[arium] specimens daily. Himes[?] has [illeg.]

the P.O[?] out of gear[?]. When I first went over your Herbarium (general) collections as they arrived & was struck by the absence of any of Gammie’s*1 collections in Sikkim. I have now gone through them often[?] examining every label & find but one from Gammie, dated 6/9/84. Certainly this Impatiens did not come on loan to me. What can have become of them? Have you then other genera of his collecting? Possibly his later collections are not yet incorporated. I am publishing the garden

plant of which I wrote to you as I. sulcata with a caution. It's absolutely identical with a drawing I made in Sikkim, except having stipulate[?] stipular glands; these which are being absent or rudimentary & replaced by[?] flat glandular areas in Wallichs[?] specimen & my Sikkim ones. Jan[uary] 14/[18]99. I have kept this letter open till I should receive the specimen of the Impatiens v[?] [illeg.] from King*2 about Gammie’s collections. The specimens you send are good & will be most useful. I do hope the seeds will grow as I should[?] have all required as they flower & have given instructions accordingly. King tells me that Gammie collection was all named by himself, & the duplicates distributed*3 to Kew [illeg.] -- I have had a

careful search made at the Herbarium, & there is no entry of the receipt of any Sikkim plants from Gammie as any on the [illeg.] had they come I would surely be informed of it. Perhaps Gammie may recollect[?] if any were sent to Kew. Clarke tells me that you are working " double tides[?]" - at flora of both Sikkim & Bengal[?] -- pray do not overdo it. Mrs Prain will be concerned to hear that Mrs[?] Symonds is very ill, & that at her age hopes of recovery are of the smallest[?] -- [words illegible] my wife will also[?] miss her terribly. With [illeg.] regards to you both. | Ever sincerely yours | Jos. D Hooker[signature] *4You may not have heard that Dyer has got[?] a reward[?] [illeg.] of pay for the Heath[?] Ass[tant][?] -- Baker is given to J?[stet] Rennie in the neighbourhood[?] in a time[?] & works[?] on[?] King. [Illegible words]