JACK'S LETTERS TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. -215 



111 one of my late letters from Lindsay, lie communicates a 

 Tequest from the Marchioness, that I would send her a Hortus 

 Siccus for her Edinburgh Museum: 227 I comply with it by this 

 occasion, but mean to humbug her in the matter. My best speci- 

 mens have all gone home, as you know, I have there- 

 fore put up a parcel of second rate ones, with plenty of good paper, 

 which is of more consequence (Kaleidoscopic-ally!) and sent her 

 such a flaming list, as will make her think she has the most pre- 

 cious and learned collection ever sent from India. I trust to her 

 indolence never to look into them; indeed if she did, I don't sup- 

 pose she would know a Mangosteen from an apple, and then as for 

 the most learned body to which they are to go, the name of the 

 Marchioness will humbug them, and I daresay the sapient Pro- 

 fessor of Botony will in reply, extol her Ladyship's skill and dis- 

 cernment in the selection, and sound the praises of that of which 

 he knows nothing about. 



Xow for remarks on sheets A to H. Fagraea fragrans, I 

 think Eoxburgh is wrong in saying it was brought from China. 

 I found it also in the same garden alluded to, where nobody knew 

 where it had come from, 228 but afterwards got abundance of it 

 from the Kedah shore, where it is a timber tree and well known 

 to the natives. 



F. auriculata, 221 ' I ought to have given you my mems on this. 

 It is arborescent: I had also very fine fruits as large as an egg, 

 ■of which the following is my note. Fructus baccatus ovoideus, 

 glaber, parte styli persistente acuminatus, bilocularis, seminibus 

 uumeiosis, pnlpa nidulantibus. 



I have great doubts as to diversity of F. racemosa 230 and volu- 

 oilis. In the first place I question the latter being voluble; it is 

 straggling and often with twisted branches, but I think I have 

 seen it grow to a stout but small tree. I always considered them 

 the same; however I will make a more vigorous examination and 

 report to you accordingly. 



227. Sir T. Carlaw Martin, Director of the Royal Scottish Museum, 

 Edinburgh, has been so good as to turn up his records seeking information 

 upon this Hortus Siccus; but he is unable to find any, and adds that no 

 ■specimens are in the Museum. 



228. The tembusu, — Fagrcea fragrans, Roxb., is not common in Penang 

 doubtless because suitable sandy land does not exist in quantity; and this 

 is perhaps the reason why those in correspondence with Roxburgh who 

 visited Penang had not told him that the tree is Malayan. It is to be 

 noted that Jack records it also for Kedah. This mention of the Kedah shore 

 is most important as it is the only indication that Jack landed on the main- 

 land: and makes it possible that some of his "Penang" plants, thought 

 to be extinct now, were not actually obtained by him in the island. 



229. Fagrcea auriculata. Jack, had been obtained from Singapore, and 

 later at Tappanouly. 



230. Fagrcea racemosa. Jack, had been obtained in Sumata and des- 

 cribed in Wallich and Carey's revision of Roxburgh's Flora. As hinted 

 here F. volubilis, which was described at the same time, does not differ. 



R. A. Soc, No. 73, 1916. 



