JDH writes to his wife Hyacinth from Boston, where he is staying with the Sargents. Sargent is in charge of the Harvard Botanic Garden & Arnold Arboretum. JDH is often with the Strachey's. JDH describes Boston: including the hot weather, wide streets, large wooden houses in the suburbs, the cleanliness of the city & good public transport. He lists some of the many kinds of trees in Boston: Hickory, American Ash, Elms, Maples, Oaks, Horse Chestnuts, Limes & Poplars. He comments that the working class people have a good standard of living & are generally well mannered & educated. Comments on the high price of food, except fruit, particularly mentions bananas imported in quantity from the West Indies, they do not taste as good as Kew's bananas. Comments on the 'nasal twang' in the Boston accent. Massachusetts has been settled since 1620, JDH thinks it is likely the nicest part of the United States of America. He describes the University, public park, abundance of flags & monuments. Describes a visit to Belvedere on the coast, common plants included: Cypripedia, Vaccinia, Pyrolas & Orchis, roses, brambles & raspberries. Trees are a mix of pines, Hemlock, Juniper, Spruces & deciduous trees & there are many ferns & mosses. Went to Read Hawthorn's house in Salem to see a museum & natural history institute endowed by Peabody. Describes the zoology summer school held there & a similar botany school at Harvard where the teaching is practical as well as lectures. Describes Sargent's dairy, especially the method of controlling temperature. Describes Forest Hills cemetery & the way U.S.A. cemeteries are run. Visited Mr Hunnewell at his property in Wellesley, describes the garden. It is opposite a property given to the state by Mr Durant for a college to educate women as teachers, also described. Strachey received a telegram from Lord Salisbury re. trouble in India. The party next go to Newport, New York, Cincinnati & the state capital of Colorado south of Colorado Springs.

JDH writes to his wife Lady Hyacinth Hooker about his unpleasant voyage on board the 'Parthia' [to Boston, USA]. It is a screw ship rather than a paddle wheel steamer & the strange motion makes many of the passengers sea sick. Other passengers include: an Irish relation of Mrs [Jane Loring] Gray; a relative of Motley's daughter who married Sir William Harcourt MP the brother of Harcourt of Nuneham; the Strachey's [Sir Richard & Lady Jane Maria]. JDH has spent a lot of time reading in his cabin, he has read: [Baron Thomas Babington] Macaulay, [John] Evelyn's diary, Keye's lives of Eminent Indians, some of [Henry Wadsworth] Longfellow's Poems & one volume of [Charles] Lyell's 1st journey in America. Describes the ship's captain as 'a bright intelligent Scotsman' who engaged in debate about the effects of emotion & principles. The ship doctor is an Irish Army surgeon who served in India & is a good storyteller. The long journey & poor travelling conditions have put JDH off another trip across the Atlantic to America unless Hyacinth persuades him. The letter continues after JDH's arrival at Boston Harbour. Motley & [Charles Sprague] Sargent will come to meet JDH & party on a Government steamer & escort them through customs. In a post script JDH adds that he has been made welcome in Cambridge, Massachusetts & will start soon for Colorado. Requests that [John] Smith & [Sir William Turner] Thiselton-Dyer send a corrected copy of the fern list to Professor Sargent.

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JDH describes his passage on board a steamer ship. He complains about the drink especially the brandy & will try the wine as he does not think it will effect his ears. He sends his love to family members, Reginald Hawthorn Hooker, Grace Ellen Hooker & Mrs Symonds. Sends his apologies for not writing to his mother from Liverpool but he was shopping with the Stracheys until the last minute. West winds are making the passage slow.

All London is talking about a report of the Russians advancing into Constantinople [Istanbul], if true it will mean war but JDH is sceptical. George Henslow has visited JDH. He has worked on the Indian flora for JDH but his work is poor & will need to be redone. William Thiselton-Dyer is to give a series of lectures on botany at the Royal Institution, which will be good for the reputation of RBG, Kew. JDH is with John Henry Lefroy, asks if Hyacinth mentioned calling on Lady Charlotte Anna Lefroy to Mrs Lyell. JDH will write to Dr Low about vaccinations. Everyone is going to 'Stanley's lecture'. JDH sends his love to all at Down [Down House] & tells Hyacinth to kiss the baby for him.

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JDH asks Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff to speak in 'the House' [of Commons] on behalf of RBG Kew as its scientific function & JDH's role as Director are under threat from [Acton Smee] Ayrton. [Ayrton Controversy]. JDH has attended a committee meeting of the Cabinet at Lord Rippon's, attended by Rippon, Lord Halifax & Mr Cardwell. Ipecacuanha has been introduced to Sikkim, India: propagated from plant RBG Kew sent out in 1866. The Edinburgh plants are still at Calcutta [Kolkata].

JDH informs Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant Duff that he is sending Cosmo Melville a report on the pamphlet relating to an injured poppy crop. JDH thinks the pamphlet is unfairly harsh toward Bihar Opium agents & should not have been published by the Government. He believes his report is to be sent to India so asks Grant Duff to read over it & get it approved by 'his Grace'.

JDH suggests [Sir Mountstuart Elphinstone] Grant Duff become a Fellow of the Linnean Society. Asks after Grant Duff's continental tour with his wife. Complains that the Ayrton controversy is deteriorating further, JDH has brought it to the attention of Prime minister Gladstone & predicts it will end with the dismissal of himself or [Acton Smee] Ayrton.

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JDH informs Brian Hodgson that Lord Carnarvon [the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Henry Howard Molyneux Herbert] has offered him a knighthood; Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, in recognition of his service to the Colonies. JDH has not sought a knighthood & previously rejected one when offered. This particular honour, as it relates to his colonial work in the name of his Father [William Jackson Hooker] & the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, would be highly prized by JDH. He accepted K.C.M.G. once before only to be later refused the honour by Government, it is now a different Government so Hooker will take no malicious pleasure in refusing the honour this time. Nevertheless JDH will refuse the K.C.M.G. as it is a lesser honour than has been awarded to past Presidents of the Royal Society who were made members of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath.

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JDH thanks Susan Hodgson for a letter about her husband Brian Houghton Hodgson. JDH recently dined with Sir Henry Verney, Childers & his daughter, & Mrs & Mr [William Ewart] Gladstone. He & Gladstone spoke about American & Californian trees & felling practices. JDH has also dined at the Colviles', where he bid farewell to Mrs Strachey before she leaves to join her husband [Richard Strachey] in India. Also in attendance: the Grant's, Joachin & the Huxley's. JDH & his wife [Lady Hyacinth Hooker] have been to see the Old Masters [exhibition], they left the baby [Joseph Symonds Hooker] at the Royal Society rooms with the porter's wife, much fuss was made of 'the President's baby'.

JDH writes that he is glad to hear of Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer's [WTTD's] appointment to the Dublin chair [of the Royal College of Science for Ireland, Dublin]. Has seen Dr [Edward Percival] Wright who is happy for WTTD to have access to, & make use of, the T[rinity] C[ollege] Herbarium. However, Wright wishes WTTD to wait a little before taking a more prominent position than himself so that 'matters will arrange themselves'. Wright is talking of getting leave for 2 years & going abroad, leaving WTTD in charge. JDH says that the vegetable products museum should be attached to the Botanic Garden, along with a Herbarium & Library, without which the garden will be useless. JDH cannot supply structural specimens of plants from the RBG Kew museum as all duplicates are sent to places which give things in return. Will be happy to give advice about Cape Flora & thinks it is a worthy endeavour to finish it. Notes that WTTD will probably not be ready to embark on the descriptive part of the flora, & therefore need the herbarium, before Wright leaves anyway.

JDH compliments Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] on his paper on 'Spontaneous Generation & Evolution' & hopes that it is a prelude to further research into the chemistry of vegetation as JDH believes there is no better man to do it. JDH is currently reading John Tyndall's paper 'On the Actions of Rays of High Refrangibility upon Gaseous Matter' in PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON & he is struck by Tyndall's remarks on the decomposition of carbonic acid, by solar rays, in the leaves of plants. JDH says that he had thought about this independently & believes it would make a good research subject. Has heard that Dr P[ercival] Wright it going to Algeria for the winter. JDH hopes that he has left the key to the [Trinity College] Herbarium for them.