JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] concerned about his health. JDH believes that WTTD has overworked himself and needs relief. JDH understands that Sir David Prain might be employed should the Secretary of State for India allow it and JDH asks if he can be of any help by giving the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture his point of view on the matter. JDH says that he would assure the Secretary that he was working for the interests of Kew as much as for a family member [i.e. his son in law WTTD]. Advises WTTD to go to the Ferns to await developments, which JDH will advise him of by telegraph.

JDH was not able to get to Kew the day before. James Bryce attended & was keen to do as much as possible for RBG Kew and for Sir David Prain. JDH talks about his dislike for the government & the political parties. He says politicians have to be persuaded to vote, whilst they are having long tea parties on the terrace for the ladies. He believes the Parliament is demoralised. Bryce agreed. JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that Mrs Sabina Paisley's cousin a General Smith lives near Cheltenham & wishes to make WTTD & Harriet's acquaintance. A Captain Smith, formerly of the Indian army Transport Corps, is being invited to Sunningdale to meet with JDH's son, Joseph Symonds Hooker. JDH is working again on the Chinese Balsams.

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No summary available.

JDH thanks Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer for sending him views of his old home West Park. He reports that Brian [William Hooker, his grandson] has left The Camp despite hearing that 'the India appointment' has been filled. JDH shies away from writing his memoirs but will overcome his aversion & do so at WTTD's suggestion, Lady Hooker already writes down passages of her early life. Dick [Richard Symonds Hooker] has just met a friend of WTTD's, Mr Muirhead, whilst playing a role in a pastoral play. JDH is working on Malayan Balsams but finds they are so succulent & with such minute anthers that they are difficult to work with. Laurence Austine Waddell has presented JDH with a copy of his book 'LHASA AND ITS MYSTERIES - WITH A RECORD OF THE BRITISH TIBETAN EXPEDITION OF 1903-1904'. JDH admires the work & the photographs in it, he wishes there has been a naturalist with the expedition & thinks WTTD should mention the lack to the Indian Government.

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JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] that he is sorry for [Otto] Stapf's 'intentions' [to apply for a job in the botany department of the Natural History Museum, London] and JDH hopes that he will not be successful. Comments that [Alfred] Rendle is a good systematic botanist and has been on the [Natural History] Museum staff for 17 years so it is only fair that he gets the job. Thanks WTTD for telling him about Brian [Brian Harvey Hodgson Hooker - his fifth child] and agrees with every word. JDH says that he has put Brian on an 'existence allowance' to help with clothing for him, his wife and children. School bills are also sent to JDH & he pays to keep & educate Frances. Says he would be surprised if Brian gets any employment though his wife may find something for him. JDH reports that he is off to Sidmouth the next day. Says that [Captain Robert] Scott has sent him the 2 volumes of his book [presumably THE VOYAGE OF THE DISCOVERY].

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] that they had an enjoyable stay in Sidmouth but sadly returned to a detailed account from [William] Farlow] of Miss Gray's illness, which appears to be a paralytic seizure of head and limbs. She may recover. Farlow has suffered a succession of misfortunes: a 7 year old niece operated on for appendicitis; death of a nephew; a friend lost his eye and another fell from a balcony. JDH writes that he returned to find a copy of [Alfred] Wallace's MY LIFE with an enclosed letter which WTTD might like to see [enclosure is not present]. JDH writes that he has not seen [Edward] Clodd's citation of [Henry] Bate's work but he must get it. Notes that he must find time to read [Robert Hugh] Mill's SIEGE OF THE ANTARCTIC. JDH says that WTTD must tell him if he wants to see either of the above books. JDH notes that he encloses a book catalogue of which no. 264 might be worth WTTD's attentions [enclosure is not present]. Offers WTTD a copy of FRUTICETUM VILMORINIANUM for the RBG Kew library. JDH asks how [Otto] Stapf's application to the Botany Department of the British Museum [of Natural History] is proceeding. Says that Stapf has not approached JDH and JDH would not encourage Stapf if he did. JDH believes that other assistants in the department such as [Alfred Barton] Rendle and Baker are suitable to fill the vacancy. JDH reports that he has bad eczema on one leg. Asks what [David] Prain's prospects are.

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No summary available.

No summary available.

JDH sends Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] belated Christmas & new year wishes. He thanks WTTD for sending him a photo of a favourite spot in the Rhododendron Dell, now hanging on the wall at The Camp. JDH is relieved that David Prain has been appointed as the Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. JDH is studying the Balsams of 'the archipelago', a subject neglected by Dutch botanists. He comments on their relative abundance in Sumatra, Java, the [Malay?] Peninsula & the Philippines. JDH reports that his wife Hyacinth Hooker is ill, suffering with Rheumatism, & later in the month he will take her to Bath.

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No summary available.

JDH responds to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer's [WTTD] account of the death of Mary Barnard, [Noel?] Barnards daughter, she died of acute diabetes. JDH is disturbed to hear that his own daughter, WTTD's wife Harriet, has a malarious fever & approves of their plan to take her to Sidmouth to recuperate. JDH mentions the Thiselton-Dyer's new home. JDH visited the new Director of RBG Kew, David Prain, & his wife. JDH found Prain is working too hard & the Department [of Agriculture & Fisheries] is asking him to do too much outside his Kew duties. JDH also went to the RBG Kew herbarium to work on Balsams, where he found out Brandis is ill. [Dietrich] Brandis is working on the anatomy of bamboo leaves. [Eduard] Strasburger has also visited Kew where he & JDH spoke about old German botanists, & Marsileas in the Berlin Gardens. Notes that it is curious, WTTD, his son George & Bentham have ended up living on a street called Lindley [John Lindley having been a prominent orchidologist who worked at Kew]. Lady Hyacinth Hooker has gout in her knee. JDH offers to send WTTD copies of the Records of the Botanical Survey of India. Something JDH wrote for the Gazetteer has finally been printed. JDH's son Brian Harvey Hodgson Hooker has secured a billet at Melbourne but JDH does not know if it is in the mining business. [William Robert] Guilfoyle was helping Brian to find work. Brian's daughter Frances has been sent to the Clemen[?] sisters.

JDH acknowledges Sir William Thiselton-Dyers congratulations on his 'Swedish award' [Commemorative Gold Medal presented by the Regia Academia Scientiarum Suecica, Uppsala for the Linnean Bicentenary]. Some correspondence from Sir Edward Grey transmitted with the medal may be published in the BULLETIN OF MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW. JDH goes on to mention those who will be attending his birthday celebration: a deputation from the B.S. [Botanical Society of London?], his granddaughter Frances Harriet Thiselton-Dyer, Harrinay[?], his children Grace Ellen Hooker & William Henslow Hooker & his cousin; botanical artist Matilda Smith. Hopefully RBG Kew Director David Prain will also attend. They will miss Harriet Thiselton-Dyer's company. JDH fears his wife Lady Hyacinth Hooker may be too unwell for the gathering as she suffers with gout. JDH has heard from George King that he is still unwell & going from Wales to stay with his friend [David Douglas] Cunningham in Torquay. JDH reports that Sir Richard Strachey has 'come down in the world' & been forced to sell his house in Lancaster Gate & retire to Hampstead, JDH is very sad for his old, infirm friend.

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JDH communicates his approval of Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer's article in NATURE. He considers the 'most remarkable instance of a changed form' to be the cut-leaved bramble [blackberry] which he has observed in his own garden. He also thinks it would be interesting to study variation & mutation in Japanese Maples. JDH is suffering with bad eczema but continuing his work dissecting & sketching Balsams. He observes that they are numerous & very location specific with no species overlap between India, China & Tibet. JDH has borrowed some Balsam specimens from Leveille at Les Man herbarium, they are all different from those in the Kew & Paris herbariums but are hard to work with having been badly dries.

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No summary available.