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

Title

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

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/7/1/1/17

Date

17 Nov 1837

Scope & content

Written from Bolanos [Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 31 Jan 1838'). The letter includes an impression of an opened seal

Letter No 12

He did not receive the letter of 29 Jun until 7 Nov; he will forward the articles he has been collecting when he reaches Zacatecas [Mexico], where some of the seeds are; the bulbs and terrestrial Orchideae were not fit to transmit at the time of collection, so he carried them with him and planted them wherever he stayed for some time; the seeds formed 'only a small parcel' when he left Aguas Calientes [Aguascalientes, Mexico], and he did not want to risk sending them, as small packages are more likely to be lost on such a long journey; he found two other species of epiphytes on his recent excursions to the neighbouring mountains, but there is still another new kind he has not found; he saw a flower of it in the hat of 'a Guichole [Huichole] Indian', who has not brought him the plants, despite his promises; he intends to visit the Indians himself, although it may be dangerous, 'their being yet in a primitive state of civilisation'; he will make a collection of cacti as requested when he finds some that are not common; he expects to find some interesting ones on the barren hills that surround Zacatecas, described to him as 'the field of cacti', as 'nobody I believe having been collecting there yet'; he has found a very unusual tall one here, 'bearing on one side only a very thick, white wool, two inches long', but he is afraid it will not be able to endure the long voyage

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Oct-16 Nov 1837 comprise 'balance due last month' $15.2 'monthly allowance' $50 and 'wages of the mozo [servant]' $18, and $250 received in cash from James Watson [of the Anglo-Mexican Mining Association] in Bolanos. Written from Bolanos [Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 31 Jan 1838'). The letter includes an impression of an opened seal

Letter No 12

He did not receive the letter of 29 Jun until 7 Nov; he will forward the articles he has been collecting when he reaches Zacatecas [Mexico], where some of the seeds are; the bulbs and terrestrial Orchideae were not fit to transmit at the time of collection, so he carried them with him and planted them wherever he stayed for some time; the seeds formed 'only a small parcel' when he left Aguas Calientes [Aguascalientes, Mexico], and he did not want to risk sending them, as small packages are more likely to be lost on such a long journey; he found two other species of epiphytes on his recent excursions to the neighbouring mountains, but there is still another new kind he has not found; he saw a flower of it in the hat of 'a Guichole [Huichole] Indian', who has not brought him the plants, despite his promises; he intends to visit the Indians himself, although it may be dangerous, 'their being yet in a primitive state of civilisation'; he will make a collection of cacti as requested when he finds some that are not common; he expects to find some interesting ones on the barren hills that surround Zacatecas, described to him as 'the field of cacti', as 'nobody I believe having been collecting there yet'; he has found a very unusual tall one here, 'bearing on one side only a very thick, white wool, two inches long', but he is afraid it will not be able to endure the long voyage

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Oct-16 Nov 1837 comprise 'balance due last month' $15.2 'monthly allowance' $50 and 'wages of the mozo [servant]' $18, and $250 received in cash from James Watson [of the Anglo-Mexican Mining Association] in Bolanos

Level

Item

Extent

4 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)