250 KEW : 1879-1885 



slowly to the number of species. I hope that your Cymbidium 

 tabulate will turn out the right thing. 



To the Same 



May 29, 1883. 



It will indeed be a good work done to get the Gape Orchids 

 into order ; at present they are in a little confusion with 

 regard to many genera. Pray get figures however rude. 



I wish that you could manage a trip to the N. W. frontier, 

 there must be many curious things there. 



To the Same 



November 20, 1883. 



Your letter has interested me extraordinarily, for I 

 know very little of Namaqualand beyond what I had picked 

 up from old travellers and Baines's paintings. Your account 

 of the geographical and botanical features of the country 

 is very instructive. I had a mind to communicate some 

 of the contents of your letter to the Linnean, but was not 

 sure that you might like it ; I do hope you will send in a 

 paper on the subject. The brilliant display of flowers you 

 mention reminds me of California in spring — as it now is — 

 but where, as they cut down the forests of the Sierra Nevada 

 ranges they may expect droughts like those you describe, 

 and only an occasional flush of vegetation. 



The following to Mr. W. Hancock, of the Chinese Customs, 

 illustrates the way in which a fresh correspondent would be 

 enlisted for Kew. 



Kew : June 17, 1883. 



My dear Sir, — The perusal of a most interesting and in- 

 structive article from your pen about Tamsui, in the Chinese 

 Customs reports, emboldens me to address you, in the hopes 

 of enlisting your kind offices in behalf of the Koyal Gardens 

 at Kew. 



We are deeply interested in Chinese products and most 

 anxious to know more of its vegetable resources, whether 

 by Herb, specimens or seeds ; or, especially, objects illus- 

 trative of the uses to mankind of the members of the vege- 

 table kingdom : of these we are incredibly ignorant. I may 



