Glasgow.
Feb. 9. 1834
My dear Sir
It is only about a week ago that I wrote to my friend Spence, <1> who lately brought me a parcel from Bertoloni, <2> to ask him if he knew how I could send one to him in return. But as yet I have had no answer. Can you assist me in this matter? I shall certainly put up, in your name, for him the plants you mention in your list. <3> I have many other rare British plants to send him besides: but he surprizes me by asking only for British. Do you think that good Exotics, from America, N. Holld <4> &c would not be acceptable to him? For I should really like to send him a packet of some value when I am about it: & I should too have the better claim upon him for the rarities of the south of Europe. I must confess that what he has sent me have disappointed me a good deal; so many of them are common all over the continent & others such as Polygonum Bistorta, in this country too. One & only one Sicilian plant was included: yet he must surely have the command of many excellent Floras. However, I shall write to him for something better. The plants peculiar to those extreme parts of Europe are what I most covet, not such as are common to all Italy & France.
I shall soon have occasion to send a large box to Hunneman <5> & will enclose the dispatch for Bertoloni.
Drummond <6> has sent some more good plants from N. Orleans & some very excellent ones from Texas: to several of these latter I have attached names. Would you like that I should continue to send you from these collections? (there are about 100 species in each of the 2 collections now mentioned, at £2 the 100). I do not send them without asking to know your wishes, because because I have not yet performed my promise of publishing a list of the names. This has however been no fault of mine, for the difficulty of getting my Botl Journal <7> published is very great: & I have only at length accomplished it, by making a heavy pecuniary sacrifice. The 1st No finished more than a year ago, is at length out; & my Printer circulated 10,000 advertisements. I am now actually printing the 2d No which commences with an interesting account of the Classical plants of Sicily by a Mr Hogg. <8> The first part of Drummonds plants follows. The Texas plants which constitute a very difft vegetation will be treated separately. Drummond is indeed a most deserving person & has done a vast deal for Botany. I sent him £80 last week & desired him to proceed as soon as the Spring commenced to the Mountains of N. Mexico & to return to N. Orleans by the Red river if possible.
I trouble you with a note for Hunneman which I will thank you to let your servant put into the 2dy Post,<9> & am
My dear Sir, Most faithfully Yours
W. J. Hooker.
Notes:
1. Probably William Spence (17831860), Fellow of the Linnean Society.
2. Prof Antoine Bertoloni (17931868), Italian botanist.
3. See Doc. No: 02795.
4. New Holland, Australia.
5. James Hunneman, London nurseryman.
6. Thomas Drummond (1793-1835), Scottish botanical collector; died in Cuba in early March 1835.
7. William Jackson Hooker, The Journal of Botany (London, Edinburgh: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman, etc.; A & C Black, 18341842).
8. John Hogg (18001869), FRS, Fellow of the Linnean Society.
9. Twopenny post.