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.

JDH asks Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] about the schemes of [Sir George Christopher Molesworth] Birdwood and the India Office. He mentiosn Baddely. He advises WTTD on how to manage [John Reader] Jackson. JDH speculates on the amount of work it will take to accession the India Museum collections into the RBG Kew museums including the constrcution of new buildings: museum number 1 & museum number 2. He appreciates WTTD's zeal on the matter but warns him that these things usually move slowly thanks to 'indifferent masters'. JDH will take some work off WTD's hands when he returns, JDH cannot spend all his time working on the GENERA PLANTARUM & FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA, he must take on some of the less pleasant duties as well. He reminds WTTD that the fruit of all his labours can be seen in the [Annual Kew] Report. JDH has written to [John] Smith about RBG Kew staff changes & reassignment of gardening duties, specifically regarding Martin, Trueman, Sharpe & the latter's dereliction of number 4 greenhouse. JDH's health has deteriorated again but he will return to RBG Kew any way.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about the progress he & George Bentham have made sorting & packing the herbarium [of General William Munro] to be sent to RBG Kew. JDH & Bentham will go to Torquay the following day & JDH will return via Exeter to visit 'old family haunts'.

JDH reports that [John] Smith has returned to RBG Kew in good health & [George] Nicholson has gone on leave. JDH also informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that [Robert] Cross has been in independent communication with Danvers of the India Office, pushig his own agenda regarding the transportation of certain Cinchona plants from RBG Kew. JDH reports Welwitschia seeds are growing well & more cow tree seeds have arrived. Bulbophyllum beccarii has been sent to RBG Kew to be drawn but the stench was so bad that the artist, Matilda Smith, had to give up. JDH & John Smith have surveyed the arboretum & reduced the lawn mowing, they will also surevy the King of Hanover's grounds. He mentions papering the musueum [of economic botany], where [John Reader] Jackson is hard at work. De Candolle & his wife are coming to London to meet Mr & Mrs Asa Gray. JDH has remonstrated [Lovell] Reeve about the bad colouring of the Harriet Thiselton-Dyer's Bucklandia plate [in CURTIS' BOTANICAL MAGAZINE], JDH has heard Reeve underpays his colourists.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] that he is going to visit his children in Malvern before Asa & Jane Gray arrive for their visit. JDH updates WTTD on the current business of the gardens before he leaves. He reports that there have been a lot of Ward's cases to deal with, [John] Smith will reform the King of Hanover's grounds, Burt is improving, the Macrozamia is recovering, the Welwitschias are dying under [William] Watson's care, the Narras are also dead so the Doom palm [Hyphaene thebaica] & Balfour's things are to be cared for differently. Smith will leave soon, [George] Nicholson has returned. JDH has kept an eye on the museum & advised Jurd[?] about the pipes, they are now plastering. The fern house have been repaired. JDH has cleared a large paper cabinet some of which he will use for palms. [Charles] Flahault & Balfour are at RBG Kew, as is [Alfred] Coginaux studying Melastomads. JDH asks WTTD to start populating the palm house. He has cleared the tomato plants from the herbarium ground's walls where necessary. He askes WTTD to select some economic[?] plants for the walls of the new range house. Thanks WTTD for letter about his travels, wishes he has urged WTTD to cross the Monte Moro. The De Candolles will call later in the month to see the Grays. JDH thinks that Smith is right about the author of the RICHMOND TIMES articles being [James] Britten.

JDH has received a letter from Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] about his recent holiday with his wife, Hooker's daughter, Harriet. He writes that there is no need for WTTD to rush back to RBG Kew but updates him on the recent garden activities including changes to staff. Walters is stationed in the Palm House & is nervous about rearranging independently, Leighton has been 'packed off', [William] Watson has taken over the orchids, JDH does not know what to do about Burt who attends well to the grounds but not to [museum] number 2, Truelove works hard in the woods but needs time consuming supervision. [John] Smith has recovered from an attack of sciatica. The work on the museums is progressing, but the staircase in [museum] number 1 is a failure. JDH has received correspondence about appointment of a clerk for [Henry] Prestoe [in Trinidad] & recommended that Governor Irving's advice be followed & a Colony man appointed on a modest salary. JDH has brought Smith round to Beischeles[?] coming & [George] Nicholson taking on more garden duties. JDH sends his love to his old friends Brian & Susan Hodgson.

JDH writes that he is sending Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] the list of herbarium visitors for the RBG Kew annual report, he was not sure whether to include [George] Bentham's name. He notes that the list shows a 'wonderful amount of botanical query & activity'. JDH is now preparing the list of additions to the herbarium, including the extensive list of [Georg Wilhelm Heinrich] Schimper & General William Munro's donated herbaria. JDH discusses the benefits of WTTD going to Court, both for him personally & for the office of Assistant Director of RBG Kew. JDH mentions that he likes the hotel Romain, where he is staying in Paris. He & his party plan to dine at Lavalier's & Capones[?] in Paris before travelling south.

JDH is sending Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] the prepared list of donations to the RBG Kew herbarium, for the annual Kew Report, which will need revising by WTTD & [Daniel] Oliver. They may also wish to edit Hooker's eulogy to [General William] Munro. JDH cannot work up the list of Kew's publications without references so the Report will be delayed beyond the end of Mar this year. JDH & [Asa] Gray have visited [Joseph] Decaisne who is convinced that a student of his can define the characters of the natural orders based on hairs[?], & Decaisne is classifying species of Clematis according to the bristles on the stem & testa, which Baillon[?] will undoubtedly debunk. They visited the Jardin des plantes where JDH observed about 18 immature species of Madagascar palms. Also met: [Marie Maxim] Cornu, [Philippe Édouard Léon] van Tieghem, [Pierre Étienne Simon] Duchartre & [Gaspard Adolphe] Chatin. They have dined at Lavalier's & been to St Denis. Next they go to Chambery, Turin, Genoa, Pise [Pisa], Rome & Naples.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer from Castellammare, where he & Lady Hooker have just arrived after spending some time in Rome & Naples. At Naples he visited [Anton] Dohrn's aquarium. He describes some animals of particular interest he saw there: Crinoids, Sepia [cuttlefish], Octopus & Loligo [squid]. He also mentions seeing fish, Ascidia, Corals, Madrepores, Melobesias, Diptera, Beroe, Crustacea, Meduseus & Ulva. In the Naples museum JDH admired the statuary especially a head of Homer & a Venus after Milo. He found the collection of paintings inferior to those at the Vatican & preferred the murals & artefacts from Pompeii, especially: a pane of glass, a surgeon's instrument, a glass plate & a blue glass flagon. JDH has visited Pompeii & tried to understand exactly how it was preserved by the volcanic eruption, he is puzzled why there are not more charcoal remains of the wooden upper stories of buildings & speculates that the town was only partially buried & the exposed material later carried away. Castellammare is where Pliny the elder died during the eruption. JDH is keen to see Herculaneum & understand how its artefacts were not all destroyed by the lava. He also wanted to see Professor Luigi Palmieri at the observatory on Vesuvius but Palmieri is in Rome. JDH intends to ascend Vesuvius the next day. JDH visited the Naples botanical garden but did not see Vincenzo de Cesati or Giuseppe Antonio Pasquale. JDH calls the garden 'wretched' but he did learn something there about Mediterranean Pini. JDH will next go to Amalfi, Salerno & Paestum but not to Capri or Monte St Angelo because of the poor weather. Odoardo Beccari was in Rome appealing against the removal of a herbarium in Florence. JDH comments on the news of Mrs Meade's death & on the poor botanical knowledge of Sir John Lubbock. JDH has asked [John] Smith to give Dyer a list of all RBG Kew garden staff. JDH comments briefly on vegetation in the area, including sour oranges.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he has asked [John] Smith to send William Govett Romaine some green house things, Romaine was helpful to RBG Kew as Secretary of the Admiralty. JDH mentions some correspondence with Sir Charles Wyville Thomson. Since last writing JDH & his wife [Hyacinth Hooker] have been to Amalfi, Sorrento, Paestum & up Vesuvius & have visited Anton Dohrn's aquarium & museum in Naples. Next they will go to Rome & Florence. JDH has also written to Reverend William Samuel Symonds & his son 'Willy' [William Henslow Hooker]. Letters can be addressed to JDH as follows: Maquai, Hooker &c Care of Bankers.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer from Florence, about visiting [Anton] Dohrn's laboratory at Naples. He was interested in their method of rearing fish, molluscs & ascidians & impressed by the library. Dohrn gets little investment from England but is more concerned by lack of interest from the United States of America. The lab has a room for selling microscopic preparations & a popular aquarium. Lady [Hyacinth] Hooker has visited Mrs Dohrn. JDH got tired of sightseeing in Rome, he admires the Christian builders for turning material from temples into churches but thinks the original buildings were probably more impressive. He marvels at how lifelike he found bronze sculptures compared to those of marble. But the dying gladiator in marble at the Vatican is the most impressive sculpture JDH has ever seen. At the Vatican he also admired Raphael's 'Transfiguration' but in general was not impressed with the paintings & frescos of Rome. Though some of the old Roman paintings are fine, he suspects there were greater ancient Greek masterpieces in paint that have not survived. He saw some Etruscan artefacts at Cortona including painting of a muse quite unlike the Etruscan frescoes found at Orvieto, which closely resemble those of Pompeii. JDH describes his impressions of St Peter's Basilica, especially the mosaic inside the dome, which he compares to the dome of the Duomo & St Paul's in London. JDH was already familiar with the ancient arches & colosseum from the renderings of Piranesi & Panini, so they had less impact. Mentions visiting Tivoli & the crater lake at Albano. Writes of a Trappist monastery he visited in the Campania, where Eucalyptus is credited with curing fever & the land is cultivated by monks & convicts. He mentions various works being done at RBG Kew including dragging the lake, & the care of Araucaria rulei. JDH comments on the need for reform in the Linnean Society, he does not want to be the chair & Lubbock will do no harm in that role.

JDH sympathises with Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer's suffering with ague. JDH has seen the sights in Venice & is leaving for Milan & then Zurich via the Lakes & St Gotthard pass. After visiting [Oswald?] Heer JDH will go to Paris & stay at the Hotel St Romains, Rue St Roch. JDH is tired of looking at churches & Madonas but was more impressed even than on previous visits by the grandeur of Venetian art. Titian's 'Assumption' & 'Presentation' are the finest paintings JDH has ever seen. JDH & his party also visited Florence & Sienna with the Miss Horners & Annie Parry & met the Miss Cobdens, also Bologna & Ravenna. The famous pine forest, Pinus pinea, had been killed by the cold of 1879 to 1880 & the devastation reminded JDH of the great Eucalyptus forest of the subalpine plateaus in Tasmania, killed off in 1835. JDH reports that the weather has been fair but cold. The Grays [Asa & Jane] have been enjoying the trip, commetns particularly on Jane Gray's enthusiasm for churches and art. Her brother [General Charles C. Loring] is keeper of the Boston Art Museum. JDH gives instructions for how WTTD can get I touch if he needs JDH.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, which he is attending in York. He reports that John Lubbock's address was well received & that Mountstuart Elphinstone Grant-Duff is present but unwell. JDH's section of the meeting, on geography, has had some bad papers & speakers, he mentions particularly Trelawney Saunders. A polemical sermon was given at the meeting by the Bishop of Manchester, which JDH felt unnecessary as nobody had 'trodden on toes theological'. He also criticizes Osbourne Reynolds' lecture on rain & hail.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] of various deliveries & correspondence received or anticipated at RBG Kew & notifies him of RBG Kew plants received elsewhere. Some Madras matting has come for John Reader Jackson [of the RBG Kew museum]. JDH has sent some things to Regel. Treub has received his case & is returning it to RBG Kew filled with Dischidia rafflesiana & Kaulfussia. Daniel Morris written, announcing the safe arrival of 2 Wardian Cases from Nancy & expressing his pleasure at the growth of Landolphias in Jamaica. Mr [Johannes Eugenius Bulow] Warming is sending dried Cycad leaves for WTTD, Cameron is sending C. circinalis from the jungles of Deecan, & Kirk a box of bulbs. Arenga saccharifera arrived in the Bahamas in good condition. The Athens Consul is sending Salvia apples from [Theodor Heinrich Hermann von] Heldreich & a footstool of stems of Ferula communis. Alfred Russel Wallace is sending some more Herbaceous plants. JDH declined to supply the Jamaica men with outfits on the behalf of the C.O. [Colonial Office?]. King's cases have arrived but only Magnolia sphenocarpa is in a fit state. Espeut is angling for RBG Kew to recommend his bananas. Henry Trimen has written complaining about his staffing problems at 'Haggalla' [Hakgala] Garden; where Clarke is ill with Typhus. Horne has sent WTTD a copy of his new book. Frederick Currey has died, he left his fungi to RBG Kew.