Draft appendix to a set of instructions to Theodor Hartweg

Title

Draft appendix to a set of instructions to Theodor Hartweg

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/7/2/2/3

Date

Sep 1845

Scope & content

Additions to instructions for Theodor Hartweg for travelling to Mexico and California [United States of America], including a list of letters of introduction, instructions on arrangements for sending collections to England, route of travel, financial arrangements and desirable plants to collect

Undated [c.Sep 1845]. Original pagination (numbers 2-5)

List of letters of introduction, including from the Earl of Aberdeen [George Hamilton-Gordon, British foreign secretary] to C. Bankhead [Charles Bankhead, British minister plenipotentiary to Mexico] in Mexico City [Mexico], from the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company to Messrs Manning, Mackintosh & Co [agents of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company in Mexico] in Vera Cruz [Veracruz, Mexico], from James Gray [unidentified] to Messrs Barron, Forbes & Co [merchants in Mexico] in Tepic [Mexico] and a letter of credit from the Society to Messrs Manning, Mackintosh & Co [here the list includes 9 more recipients and senders]

Aided by these recommendations ('and the friends, whom you already have in Mexico'), Hartweg should on his arrival at Vera Cruz [Veracruz, Mexico] make arrangements for forwarding his collections by the Royal Mail steamers to Southampton, and tell the captains to transport parcels and boxes of seeds and bulbs in an 'airy cabin', and live plants in glazed cases on the deck, 'all at as great a distance from the engines as possible'. He should use his stay in Mexico for collecting, present his dispatches to 'Her Majesty's minister', and make 'pecuniary arrangements'

He should continue to Tepic [Mexico] and make arrangements with Messrs Barron, Forbes & Co [merchants in Mexico] for sending his collections, before proceeding to Monterey [California, United States of America] or San Francisco [California, United States of America], 'there to commence your exertions, from which you are aware much is already expected, and the council feel confident that no want of zeal on your part will cause disappointment'

The council 'would wish to leave much to your judgement & experience', but the committee recommends restricting his 'sojourn' in California to one year, with another 12 months in the north of Mexico: 'the officers of the Society now present in London venture to authorise you to take it for granted, until orders to the contrary, that the council will be pleased to hear that you find California so favourable a field' that he can devote all of his time to it

Ornamental, hardy or half-hardy plants are the main object of the journey, and he should focus on pines, evergreen chestnuts and Zauschneria, reported to grow near Monterey, and try to find Romneya ('resembling an argemone') and 'all sorts of showy annuals, perennials and bulbs'

He will be provided with tin cases for collecting seeds: 'these cases you will exhibit at Vera Cruz and along your route, and solicit attention to them. If you are aware that the best and freshest seeds from Chine have come overland from Mr Fortune [Robert Fortune, Horticultural Society plant collector in China. For the papers of Robert Fortune, 1842-1846, see RHS/Col/8], and all the dispatches of the Hudson's Bay Co having of late been regularly arranged by way of Mazatlan [Mexico]', the merchants in Tepic and Mazatlan should make arrangements for the cases to be sent somehow to Vera Cruz or Tampico for the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company ships bound for Southampton. Live plants sent via Cape Horn [Chile] must have 'The Horticultural Society of London' cut on the cases ('as you have seen on those from China'). Bills of lading should be taken for the Society. All letters should be addressed to the secretary of the Society, 21 Regent Street, and all cases and letters should be numbered

He should take every opportunity to explain to the people he meets that 'the society for which you travel is not one for private profit, but one which is supported by contributing for the purpose of cultivating what you may send to England for free distribution to its members, to the government, establishment and to the colonies'. He is given letters [of introduction] from the secretary of state for foreign affairs, proving the Horticultural Society 'worthy of the patronage of the government'

For other versions of the instructions for Hartweg and additions to them, Jun-Sep 1845, see RHS/Col/7/2/2/1, RHS/Col/7/2/2/2 and RHS/Col/7/2/2/6

Extent

7 pages (4 sheets)

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)