Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Information

Title: Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Scope & content: Written from Hacienda del Carmen [near Oaxaca, Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 1 Oct 1839' and '[illegible]'). The letter includes an impression of an opened seal

Letter No 32

He sent five boxes, marked HS33-37, from Oaxaca [Mexico] to Veracruz [Mexico] on 24 Jun; boxes 36 and 37 contain four Tamus plants resembling Tamus elephantipes [Dioscorea elephantipes] from the Cape [Cape of Good Hope, South Africa], but with a flatter trunk; he left Oaxaca on 26 Jun for Chinantla [Mexico] and returned yesterday; the journey was not very successful, 'considering also the pains I have taken to go forty leagues [120 miles] over old ground'; among the few plants he found are some 'prime' things, which, with some duplicates, will take up about four boxes; he will pack them partly in moss, and partly in Tillandsia ('pastle') to see which will fare better; Tillandsia grows everywhere, whereas moss is more difficult to find

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Jun-16 Jul 1839 include 'freight of plants' $11.4, 'moss for packing' $2.1, 'matting of boxes' $3.1, 'tools for shoeing' $3.5 and 'three sets of shoes for horses & mule' $4.2 [here the list includes 4 more items]