Copy letter from J.L. [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London] to Mr Fortune [Robert Fortune], care of Messrs Dent & Co [merchants in China], Hong Kong

Title

Copy letter from J.L. [John Lindley, assistant secretary of the Horticultural Society of London] to Mr Fortune [Robert Fortune], care of Messrs Dent & Co [merchants in China], Hong Kong

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/8/1/34

Date

20 Oct 1843

Scope & content

He acknowledges receipt of a letter from Hong Kong dated 30 Jul; they received the box mentioned in the letter and delivered to Col. Malcolm [George Alexander Malcolm, colonial secretary of Hong Kong] and the contents were in 'excellent order', apart from a few, including an orchidaceous plant, probably Sarcanthus rostratus [?Cleisostoma rostratum], Habenaria susanna [Pecteilis susannae or Pecteilis gigantea] and two kinds of seeds; the Liliums[?] in grass seed were 'quite fresh', but those in paper were partly dead; Dendrobium secundum was in a good condition, and is beginning to flower; they are looking forward to hearing of his journey northward: 'it is there that your success is likely to be most striking'; the Society wishes to thank 'those gentlemen' who have received him so kindly; 'we think you were quite right in joining the subs[?] for the captain, who took you out. Under the circumstances you could not have acted otherwise'; the treasurer says he is happy to receive separate bills of lading [shipment receipt] for objects sent on account of the Society, as that will make the accounts simpler; Fortune should keep an account of his private expenses incurred in making collections not related to the Society

Extent

2 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

Royal Horticultural Society

Credit Line

RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)