'Instructions to Mr John Forbes'
Information
Title - 'Instructions to Mr John Forbes'
Record type - Archive
Original Reference - RHS/Col/3/2/7
Date - 3 Jan 1821
Scope & content - Instructions to Mr John Forbes, employed by the Horticultural Society of London on a mission in His Majesty's Ship Leven, commanded by Captain William Owen, to the Eastern Coast of Africa, and other places, in the year 1822, and following years'. Written on two sheets stitched together.
Includes notes on the following:
Chain of command: 'You will consider yourself under the direction of Captain Owen [William Fitzwilliam Owen, captain of HMS Leven]'
The object of the journey: 'The object of your mission, generally, is to collect plants and seeds of all descriptions, whether wild or in a cultivated state, for the use of the Society, attending particularly to those which are likely, in any way, to be valuable, either as fruits, esculents [edible plants], or for other useful purposes; and next, such as will be ornamental'
Conduct on board: 'You will be particularly careful, on board ship, to conform yourself to every regulation made, or orders given, by the captain'. The captain to give permission to go on shore: 'You are especially enjoined to be most punctual to any appointment made for your return on board'
Finances: 'If you are in want of pecuniary supplies, either on your own account, or on that of the Society, and if such appear requisite to Captain Owen, his drafts on the treasurer of the Society, in London, for money for such purposes, will be honoured'. Forbes to inform Sabine [Joseph Sabine, secretary of Horticultural Society of London] of any such drafts and the purpose for which the money was required
Plant collecting: 'Many of the esculents you will meet with are probably not known as such in England; you will omit no opportunities of enquiring after such, and of looking for them in the gardens of the places you visit; you will collect all you can of them'. Notes to be taken of methods of cultivation and manner of use for esculent vegetables. Fruits of hot climates particularly desirable, with seeds or plants to be collected and carefully described, recording their habitat, method of cultivation and any necessary treatment. 'After fruits and esculent vegetables, you will search, enquire for, and procure, such plants as may be useful in medicine, or for dyes etc'. Ornamental plants, palms, bulbous plants and air plants particularly desirable, and 'to creepers, shrubs and perennial herbaceous plants you will also generally direct your attention'
Packaging: 'In the packing of plants and bulbs it is presumed you are sufficiently skilled not to require detailed instructions'. Different methods of packing seeds to be tried: 'what may fail with some sorts, will succeed with others'. Specimens of fruits to be immersed in spirit in bottles. Specimens of capsules and seeds to be carefully selected 'to be preserved for exhibition in the Society's apartments'. Specimens to be dried: 'you are furnished with all the requisites for forming an herbarium'. Multiple specimens to be collected. Specimens to be labelled with details of the time and location. 'It is of little importance whether you are able with certainty to affix a name to each correctly'. Each plant, bulb and packet of seeds to be carefully labelled for transport: 'you will be careful that such mark shall be so made as to be permanent until it reaches England'
Local networks: Letters of introduction would not be supplied, as 'it is presumed that, accredited as you are by the manner in which you are sent out, the production of these instructions to any of the corresponding members of the Society whose names you will find in the list you take with you, will be sufficient introduction'. In the absence of any corresponding members, 'you will enquire for and endeavour to become acquainted with persons who are likely to be serviceable to the Society', engaging them to become corresponding members
Documentation: 'You will keep a fair journal of all your proceedings and observations, and make a fair copy of the same, from time to time, in the smaller books supplied to you for the purpose'. Parts of the copy to be sent regularly to the Society. 'Your journal should be made as ample as possible, it must contain the details of each day's proceedings as well as notices and accounts of all you see. Whenever you send home a copy of part of your journal, you will at the same time send a letter to me, informing me to whose care the same is entrusted'
Communication: Regular letters to be sent to Sabine: 'you will number the letters which you send progressively, keeping copies of them all and in each letter you will mention at what time and from what place your former letter was dispatched, and enclose a copy of such former letter'
Supplies: 'It is probable that you may not have sufficient of some of the different materials you take out with you for your purposes'. Any items unobtainable to be mentioned in a letter with instructions where they may be sent
Other occupations: 'Whenever you are not immediately engaged in your horticultural and botanical pursuits, you will do your utmost to make collections in other branches of natural history; the formation of which, from the exertions that have been made to instruct you, and from the apparatus and materials which you take out with you, it is presumed you will be well able to effect'
Conduct: From the interest shown by William Owen and 'the information communicated to me respecting the disposition and characters of several of the officers in the frigate', Forbes to be prepared to 'impart whatever knowledge you are able to such persons', assisting them in their pursuits and being liberal in sharing specimens: 'you will find advantage to yourself in such conduct, for should articles of rarity fall into their hands, such will be more readily imparted to you, when it is known that you are willing to give from your own collections, such as it is not incumbent on you to retain for the Society'
Rights: 'It is requisite, however, that, subject to the discretion above given, you should fully understand that every thing collected by you during your voyage is exclusively the property of the Horticultural Society'. Giving or sending any collected articles to other individuals not permitted. The journals and notes 'are in like manner to remain at the absolute disposal of the Council of the Society'
Communication: Specimens to be carefully packed and addressed to the Horticultural Society, care of David Maclean at the Custom House in London
Items supplied by the Horticultural Society: Books, implements and materials furnished by the Society to be preserved in good order, 'to be restored to the Society on your return'. 'You are supplied with a small collection of seeds of esculent vegetables for the purpose of distribution, or of present, to persons at any places where you may touch', with any to be given to William Owen for the same purpose if required
Return to England: Joseph Sabine to be informed immediately on Forbes' return. Responsibility for the collections to remain with Forbes 'until they are safely deposited on shore or transmitted by land to London'. Forbes to report in person at the Society on his return
Extent - 7 pages (2 sheets)
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)