JDH discusses the displeasure of John Smith, Curator of the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, at his proposed removal from the Curator's House to a more manageable dwelling, such as Baker or Taylor's house, owing to Smith's illness. JDH has explained to Smith that the plan is to keep him on as Curator, even if he cannot walk, but hire an Assistant Curator to help him, & that these measures are being taken in the hope of prolonging Smith's life. JDH reports that Smith blamed one Mr Curndale for being deceitful about the matter & claimed he had heard rumours the job had been offered to Dunne or someone else whose legs worked, through the Duke of Buccleugh [Buccleuch]. JDH suggests this rumour may have arisen if the Duke spoke to Noel or Mitford [of the Office of Works] about the post on Dunne's behalf. JDH suspects Smith's wife is causing trouble over the matter & it has appeared in the Richmond papers. JDH has just received an invitation to the funeral of his niece, Willielma Campbell née Hooker at St George's Church, close to the Hotel JDH will be staying at [Royal Hotel].

JDH writes to inform Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that [Isabella] Hooker has asked JDH [& his wife Hyacinth] to stay at Largs for a few days after the funeral [of Willielma Dawson Campbell] to support the widower James Campbell. He mentions the Glasgow weather & the aragnements for the funeral at St George's Church. JDH has been walking around Glasgow remebering the places he & his brother [William Dawson Hooker] used to visit when they lived there from 1821 to 1839. They did not like Glasgow but it holds many memories never the less.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] about attending a cattle sale at Dunmore with [James] Colvile. He describes his rooms at Tullyallan [Tulliallan] Castle near Kincardine in Fife. He mentions that Lord Keith filled the house with pictures of Naval engagements & mezzotints of [George] Romney, [Sir Joshua] Reynolds & [John Singleton] Copley & [Francesco] Bartollzzi's things. He describes the house's current owner, Lord William Osborne, who served at the Siege of Bhurtpore & under Colvile's uncle Lord Auckland. He came to Tulliallan through his wife, 'Lady William' [Georgina Augusta Henrietta Keith], & now lives a life of leisure. JDH also describes 'Lady William'. Other people at Tulliallan were: Lady Julia Wombwell, Lord Moreton who is Lord Ducie's son & a Cattle breeder, & a Parson from Ross in Hereford. He describes the cattle sale & the prices fetched. JDH has received letters from WTTD & approves of all his suggestions & his improved letter regarding a grant. JDH is concerned about [John] Smith's health & recommends that WTTD consult Dr Laurence & refer to the kindness of Cundale, for example in the rolling machine accident, & the mischief of a previous doctor called Davis. Mentions the contract for the 'T' [Temperate?] House & potential appintments to natural history positions in Scotland for [E. Ray?] Lankester, [Henry Alleyne] Nicholson of St Andrews & William Carmichael McIntosh. Also mentions: memo to [Algernon Freeman]-Mitford & the board regarding Wilkie, Smith & the management of Kew's buildings by the Clerk of Works; letter about Ceylon [Sri Lanka] forests; [Mordecai Cubitt] Cooke's work on fungi; & [John] Macoun's Canadian plants. Discusses the housing of [John] Peacock's succulents, he would prefer an annex be built on the succulent house to continuing the displacement of the Australian plants from the Octagon. JDH sends his regards to the Brightwen family. He approves of the dismissal of Taylor based on 'neglect of orders'.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] that he has located a C.O. [Colonial Office?] paper previously thought lost. He had shown it to Sir [William Fullerton?] Elphinstone & some Cingalese visitors. JDH also informs WTTD that he has written to Palgrave, Reid, Spottiswoode & Syme. JDH advises that Callender should be told about 'the article' that appeared in the GARDENERS' CHRONICLE regarding rotten beams in the Victoria House & Fern House at RBG Kew. JDH does not approve of the article but as the beams were clearly visible to visitors he is not surprised. JDH asks WTTD to reply to Taylor & Wilkie on his behalf. JDH discusses niceties to avoid offending Oliver when not sending plants through his officer: Baker. Sending the plants can be delayed until JDH returns except in the in the case of Asa Gray's plants.

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JDH addresses a series of points raised in a recent letter from Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer. the subjects are as follows: Indian Museum Collections coming from the India Office to RBG Kew, a potential site for [Marianne North's] Gallery, the colour of the glass houses, letters from Gerard Noel [First Commisioner of Works], arranging for Marianne North to visit Kew, JDH's return from Scotland in time to catch Morris, 'the Works' affair', a letter to Wilson & Cadder, & a matter that prompts JDH to feel sorry for 'Wall'. JDH adds that he is working on Williamson's supplement to his Royal Society paper on Tranquairia, which he claims is the sporange of Lepidonotus & Anellides & that they are macrospores.

JDH mentions some glass damage at RBG Kew which was underestimated by [John] Smith & Wilkie. Regarding the India Museum he suggests that William Turner Thiselton-Dyer meet with Lingen on the pretence of getting his advice about financial considerations of the transfer [of India Museum collections from India House to other institutions including RBG Kew]. He may want to take an enclosed letter from the India Office [enclosure not present] to the meeting, though it says nothing of Cooke's successor. JDH briefly discusses some practicalities of building a gallery for [Marianne] North's drawings at RBG Kew. JDH will write to Bernays. Sends his love to his daughter Harriet [Thiselton-Dyer nee Hooker].

No summary available.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about arrangements for the Marianne Northe Gallery. He dismisses [Algernon Freemna-]Mitford's concerns about rights to the pictures & appreciates Marianne North giving up her idea of serving tea at the gallery. He also mentions the matters of a reward for [Daniel?] Morris, & Mead's post. He discusses the amount of money awarded by the board to repair damages to the [glass of the?] frames, Palm House & Temperate House. He mentions the design of another Hot House. He refers to dealing with the Colonial Office regarding Trimen & Syme & to a memo to Mitford about Cooke. JDH adds that he has had to finish the letter in haste as the post is being taken early.

JDH has been to Edinburgh with Colvile & visited his sister Mrs Maria McGilvray nee Hooker, [John Hutton] Balfour & Dickson. Isaac [Bayley Balfour] had already left for Glasgow. Describes the sickness of [Charles Wyville?] Thomson, it was a complaint of the kidneys but he is not so ill now that they should be talking about his successor [for Chair of Natural History at Ediburgh University]. Reports that John Sadler [Curator] is keeping the Edinburgh Botanic Garden in good order & making many improvements, he particularly mentions the palm house, rock garden & well named plants. JDH suggests that they send a private note to [Algernon Freeman-]Mitford, Secretary to the Office of Works, about Taylor & Wilkie's shortcomings rather than lodging an official complaint. If there is good weather JDH will go to Stirling & the Trossachs.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer regarding Térme[?] repeatedly objecting to the appointment of George Samuel Jenman, previously as Superintendent of the Jamaica Botanic Garden [Castleton] & now to a post with the Museum at Demerara [British Guiana, now Guyana]. JDH recommended [Sir Anthony] Musgrave send Jenman to Venezuela for chocolate. JDH will respond to a letter from Campbell. JDH discusses the deterioration of the wood work in the hot houses at RBG Kew, including the Orchid House, Victoria[?] House & Tropical Fern House, & suggests ventilation & using hard wood would prolong its life from the 6 years predicted by John Smith. He mentions using brown paper to patch up Palm House holes. Mentions £2000 should do more in [Economic Botany] Museum Number 1 than pay for a staircase. JDH adds in a post script that they have been to Stirling & Callander.

JDH is returning corrected proofs of the [RBG Kew Annual] Report to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer. As the weather is 'wretched' JDH suspects Thiselton-Dyer is troubled by leakages at RBG Kew & consequently dealing with the Works Department. JDH reports that his son Willie [William Henslow Hooker], currently with his tutor James Digues La Touche, is ill & suffering with haemorrhoids. JDH is busy re-landscaping [Sir James William] Colvile's grounds at Craigflower House. He mentions removing poplars & 'used up evergreens'.

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JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about a recent trip to Edinburgh, where he had lunch with [John Hutton] Balfour, Isaac [Bayley Balfour], [Alexander] Dickson & [John] Sadler. He reports that Balfour is as ill as normal & speculates as to whether he will get his pension whilst retaining the Regius keepership of Botany at Edinburgh University. Dickson, his successor as Chair of Botany at the university is pleased to have given responsibility for the Edinburgh Botanic Garden & arboretum to the Curator [John] Sadler. JDH briefly discusses the funding & layout of the new arboretum & praises the condition of the garden. JDH stayed with Isaac Anderson-Henry in his villa. It is well known that [Malcolm] Dunn has ambitions to succeed John Smith as Curator of RBG Kew, JDH does not hear good reports of his character or skills as a gardener. JDH has seen Lord Melville's grounds & garden at Lasswade, which are kept up by a conscientious gardener. At the flower show in Edinburgh JDH met RBG Kew's ex orchid man, Russell & the gardener from Drumlanrig Castle, David Thomson. JDH ignored Dunn & McKinley[?]. The nature of Sir Wyville Thomson's illness is not known, there are no rumours about his resignation or appointing a successorship so JDH deduces that Lankester's actions are not known except to Allman, & in London. JDH hopes it is not too late to draw Montbretia pottsi. He is delighted about River's interest in the Teak & sorry that WTTD has had trouble with the Colonial Office, JDH will write to [Robert Henry] Meade about it. He explains that he could not leave a carriage for Harriet Thiselton-Dyer as their horse was worn out & the state of their job master uncertain. He discusses alterations to the museum building at RBG Kew & mentions the state of door lintels in the orchid houses. Bad weather will prevent JDH going to the Trossachs with his son Reggie [Reginald Hawthorn Hooker].

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that they are both summoned to a meeting with Algernon Freeman Mitford at the Office of Works, along with Daniel Oliver & [Alexander?] Moore. The latter of whom has written a long letter of falsehoods.

JDH writes to Sir Wiliam Turner Thiselton-Dyer about their mutual poor health. His own health is improving although he still has rheumatic pains & trouble breathing outside. He is keen to get back to work at RBG Kew. JDH is glad that Hubble is gone. He criticizes [John] Smith's tendency to give new untried [RBG Kew] staff the same salary as the experienced men they replace & blames it on his class. JDH is going to wtie to Smith about some other staff: Sharpe, Martin & Masters. He thinks that they need better management of their foremen & suggests [William] Watson. JDH thinks the qualities needed are an outdoor gardener who knows ornamental horticulture, will notice his subordinates deficiencies, which Smith does not, & who will oversee expenditure on labour, materials & plants. Such a man would be worth a good salary. Though JDH fears they would be too qualified & ambitious to remain a foreman. JDH refers to [John Hutton] Balfour selecting a man [to be his successor as Her Majesty's Botanist?]. JDH asks if [Philip Henry Wodehouse] Currie has replied to his letter, JDH forgot to send Currie the promised box of seeds for Cyprus.