[Letter incomplete. This letter bears no salutation or date & begins mid sentence. The date & recipient of the letter have been surmised from adjacent letters in the series.] JDH writes of a speech given about the work of his father, Sir William Jackson Hooker. At this event JDH's health was given by Colvile, JDH in turn toasted Airys, of whom he has a low opinion. Mentions that he had previously been unaware of 'Park's obliquities'. Provides Asa Gray with references for Agarista from Don & De Candolle. Mentions Gray's feelings about his students passing & compares them to his lingering memories of his sea travels, including an apocryphal story about a retired boatswain. Penstemon palmeri is not featured in the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. Backhouse is selfish about sharing the material Gray sends him. JDH is glad Gray will use Hillebrands seeds. JDH has finished part two of THE FLORA OF BRITISH INDIA with Amantiaceae[?] & Geraniaceae. He lists which orders different botanists will work on for part three. Bennett will do Sernambaceae[?], Ochna, Bursaria; Hiern Meliaceae; JDH Chaetost[oma] & Sabiaceae; Masters Olaceae, Thiselton-Dyer Anacard[iaceae] & Baker Leguminosae. He is also working on the GENERA PLANTARUM, for which George Bentham is doing the Mimoseae.