JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer regarding the election of Truman[?] Wood to an unspecified committee; Hickson as a possible opponent must not be given too much support though Sclater might do so. JDH discusses the value of working up Steudel's plant list [Nomenclator botanicus seu Synonymia plantarum universalis], his own part in it & the encouragement & assistance of others such as [John] Ball, Asa Gray & Daniel Oliver. The list will inevitably have omissions & mistakes but it was an invaluable aid to JDH when working on the Indian orchids &, for example, in the Indian Habenaria & Planthera JDH noted only 2 errors in several hundred entries, & Dendrobium & Cyperus are also very accurate. JDH had intended to show Thiselton-Dyer the 'specimen page' [for proposed publication of Steudel's list] but his mind is preoccupied with Neottieae. Though stretching the truth Francis 'Frank' Darwin could claim the Syndics that RBG Kew's assistance with the list was 'unofficial'. JDH adds that he is seriously thinking about giving up [editing] the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE.