Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society of London [George Bentham]

Information

Title: Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society of London [George Bentham]

Scope & content: Written from Zacuapam [Zacualpan, Mexico]

Letter No 1

He arrived safely at Vera Cruz [Veracruz, Mexico] on 3 Dec, after a passage of 58 days, and delivered his letters of introduction; on 6 Dec, he left on horseback for Mr Lavater's [Karl Lavater, also spelled Carl Lavater, Swiss consul in Mexico] ranch, along with Mr de Wilde of Stallforth & Co [German-Mexican merchant bank in Mexico]; they reached the ranch after two days' ride; there were no regular roads and they had to ride through barancas [barranca, canyon or ravine in Spanish]; he was kindly received by Mr and Mrs Lavater, who had been expecting him, as they had been informed by their friends in England of his intention to visit them; during his few days' stay, he has been collecting epiphytes; he will dispatch two boxes to Vera Cruz marked HS1-2, addressed to Messrs Munoz, Matfield & Co [merchants in Mexico], who will ship them to England; the boxes contain the 'long-wished-for' Veratrum sabadilla [Schoenocaulon officinale], rare in this neighbourhood, but more common towards Orizaba [Mexico], and seeds of a pinnate-leaved Berberis, a new half-hardy shrub; he will leave for Xalapa [Mexico] in about two days and send some pine seeds; he will attempt to be in Mexico [Mexico City, Mexico] in time to receive his luggage, which was sent by a carrier