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PREFACE. 
F.L.S., (Retd.) very kindly lent the paintings already 
referred to above to the exhibition. 
But still I was unable to secure illustrations of about 300 
Indian Medicinal Plants for the Exhibition. I wrote to the 
Superintendent, Royal Botanical Garden, Shibpur, Calcutta, 
if he would kindly lend the drawings of those plants from the 
Herbarium in bis charge. In his letter dated 24th May, 1910, 
he wrote : — 
I regret that I cannot see my way to let yon have a loan of the original 
drawings of any plants, as it is a strict rule in all botanical institutions that 
original drawings are not allowed to go out of the building for any purpose, 
as in the event of loss or damage they could not possibly be replaced. I 
should however be quite prepared to have exact copies made of such drawings 
as may be of interest to you at the expense of the Exhibition. For large 
full size drawings coloured, the rate for copying including paper would be 
Rs. 5-8-0 each.” 
About this time, 1 made the acquaintance of Professor Bhim 
Chandra Chatterji, B.A., B Sc., then of the Bengal Technical 
Institute, Calcutta. I was told that he had collected materials 
and illustrations of plants of Hindu Materia Medica, as he was 
preparing a work on that subject. So I wrote to him to 
exhibit his collection at the Exhibition. He came to Allahabad 
to see me. On showing him the letter of the Superintendent, 
Shibpur Garden, he said he would take photos of those plants 
and their drawings which would cost less than one-fifth of the 
estimate given in the letter referred to above. 
1 went to Calcutta and taking Professor Bhim Chandra 
Chatterji introduced him to the Superintendent, who very kindly 
afforded him every facility to take photos of plants and of their 
drawings. But, unfortunately, Professor Bhim Chandra Chatterji 
was not successful with his photographs. He then arranged 
with the Shibpur artists to copy the drawings of plants pre- 
served in the Herbarium there at very favourable terms. 
The late lamented Mr. G. R. Murray, I.C.S., who was Secret- 
ary of the United Provinces Exhibition, took great interest in the 
Indigenous Drugs Court and did all that lay in his power to 
make it a success. He got his committee to sanction the sum 
necessary to procure copies of drawings of the plants. After 
