604 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
- 
Dr. Hooker’s Botanical Mission to India. 
Tue increased and increasing patronage which the Go- 
vernment of this country affords to science is a subject of 
high satisfaction to all Naturalists, This patronage is pecu- 
liarly evinced in the liberality with which the treasures 
contained in the British Museum, and those in the Royal 
Gardens of Kew, are rendered available to the public good. 
In connection with the latter establishment, we have to 
announce that one of the most enthusiastic votaries of 
Botany, whose name stands at the head of the present 
article, has just quitted this country to further its interests. 
Dr. Hooker, having brought his Flora Antarctica, part of 
the results of a previous Voyage, to a close, has been 
appointed by H.M. Government to investigate the vegetable 
productions of India, and especially of the Himalaya Moun- 
tains; and as a treaty is now in progress of negotiation 
between the British powers in Hindostan and the Chinese, 
with reference to the boundaries of Thibet, it is possible 
even the latter interesting region may be visited by Dr. 
Hooker in the course of his journey. It is with a view 
. to this object that the distinguished Humboldt addressed 
Dr. Hooker in a letter, which though entirely of a private 
_ nature, we think not unsuited to the pages of a Journal of 
. Natural History. 
* Que je suis heureux d'apprendre, mon excellent ami, 
que vous allez pénétrer dans ces belles vallées de l'Hima- 
layah, et méme au-delà vers Ladak et les plateaux du Thibet, - 
. dont la hauteur moyenne, non confondue avec celles des —— 
_Cimes qui s’ élèvent dans le plateau même, est un objet digne — 
e recherche! Comme j'appréci récie cette noble ardeur qu - 
vous fait entreprendre une nouvelle. expédition hazardeuse, 2 
pr S avoir été dans celle du Póle Austral qui a été uc i 
