336 



DICKSON ON MR. N. WILSON'S REPORT 



"Koyal Gardens, Kew, Nov. 19th, 1859. 

 "Sm, — We have to thank you for some interesting fibres 

 which we are arranging in our museum, with the name of 

 your firm attached to them ; and I am very glad to learn that 

 the various kinds of fibres are becoming better known and 

 valued according to their merits. I explained to the very 

 intelligent person who kindly brought out the fibres to us, 

 that we can only assist you with the foliage or stems of such 

 plants as can be well spared ; but that is seldom the case, 

 except now and then with the rapid growing bananas or plan- 

 tains, and, perhaps, of these not at the time you would most 

 desire them. 



"In general we are so cramped for space that we only 

 grow as much as we require to show the general nature of the 

 plant. 



" I should strongly recommend your entering into corres- 

 pondence with some intelligent person in the East or West 

 Indies who takes an interest in such subjects ; and there is, 

 in Jamaica, Mr. Nathaniel WilsDn, the intelligent superin- 

 tendent of the Botanical Garden, Bath, Jamaica, a person 

 who could give you a great deal of information about different 

 fibres, and who would willingly communicate with you, and, 

 for a reasonable remuneration, would procure and send to you 

 ample samples of such fibres as you would desire to have, or 

 to experiment upon. I send you some notes that may be 

 published about the fibres of Jamaica, including those in 

 cultivation there, as well as such as are indigenous. If you 

 desire to correspond with him, you can make use of my name, 

 or better still, you can enclose this note to him. 



" Your obedient servant, 



" W. J. HOOKER 



