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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No summary available.

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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No summary available.

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No summary available.

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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No summary available.

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.

JDH asks if William Thiselton-Dyer would be willing to contribute descriptions of orders, genera & species for a proposed flora of India & outlines the terms of employment.

JDH informs William Thiselton-Dyer that he has had a letter from Sir Henry Barkly [Governor of Cape Colony] urging the completion of FLORA CAPENSIS & suggesting that Peter MacOwan, an experienced Cape botanist, be sent to England for a year to accomplish this. JDH passes on MacOwan's feelings on the subject & asks for Thiselton-Dyer's opinion. He also asks if Thiselton-Dyer will be able to describe any families for a flora of India.

JDH writes that he is pleased William Thiselton-Dyer is starting work on the Asclepiadoideae [for FLORA CAPENSIS]. The herbarium of Robert Wight will be at Thiselton-Dyer's disposal. William Henry Harvey is a model of how to approach complex systematic work. JDH approves of Thiselton-Dyer's plan to have an educational museum in the [botany] department [of Royal College of Science for Ireland]. Discusses sending Welwitschia specimens for the museum, 2 live specimens have already been sent from RBG Kew to Glasnevin [National Botanic Gardens, Ireland]. JDH will send Thiselton-Dyer Asclepiad flowers as they bloom at RBG Kew & a copy of Benjamin Delessert's ICONES SELECTAE PLANTARUM QUAS IN SYSTEMATE UNIVERSALI with figures by Joseph Decaisne. JDH adds he has not heard from India House about a flora of India, he is concerned about 'the neuralgia' & would like Salix specimens from Dr Moore for Kew's new 'Salicetum'.

JDH asks William Thiselton-Dyer his opinion on the qualifications of Mr Archer to fill the chair of Botany at Dublin, vacated by Thiselton-Dyer. JDH has heard Archer is being prevented from applying in deference to Dr Percival Wright.