THOMAS LOBB. 



COLLECTOR IN INDIA AND MALAYA. 

 18431860. 



THOMAS LOBB was a native of Cornwall, but scarcely anything 

 is known of his early life till he entered the nursery of Mr. 

 James Veitch senior, of Exeter, by whom he was engaged as a 

 collector. From an agreement dated January llth 1843 it 

 appears that " Thomas Lobb agrees to proceed to the British 

 Settlement of Singapore, in the employ of James Veitch & Son 

 as botanical collector, to make collections of living plants, 

 seeds, and dried specimens of plants, and to collect for the 

 said James Veitch & Son and for no other person. The 

 understanding of this agreement is that the said Thomas 

 Lobb's principal destination is to be China, should that country 

 be open to admit a botanical collector, and in the absence of 

 any definite instructions from James Veitch & Son, Thomas 

 Lobb is to use his own discretion and be guided by existing 

 circumstances as to what parts of China he proceeds to, and if 

 on arrival at Singapore he finds circumstances are not favour- 

 able for his proceeding to China, he shall be at liberty to 

 proceed to such of the oriental islands as may appear to him 

 most desirable ; but next to China the island of Java appearing 

 to offer the greatest advantages to a botanical collector (if 

 facilities offer for exploring the same with safety), he is directed 

 to proceed thither, but it is left to his own discretion." 

 Apparently Lobb did not find China ready to receive a 



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