JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer regarding a misunderstanding about the building of the Marianne North Gallery at RBG Kew by [John] Lessels & [James] Fergusson. Specifically regarding the vestibule, veranda & some water. JDH also criticizes The Treasury's handling of the matter. He has enjoyed a visit to Barton, he likes his host at Morton Hall [George Duckett Berney] whom he describes as: 'a liberal conservative & enlightened man amongst a neighbourhood sunk in Torydom'. JDH also comments on the decline of farming in the area [Norfolk].

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he is sending him an enclosure which he is very pleased about [enclosure not present or described]. He hopes it will also please Harriet Anne Thiselton-Dyer nee Hooker & asks for an answer.

JDH reports to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] on the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in Southampton. Lawson is attending. The only botanist apart from JDH is [John] Ball. Lord Rayleigh's address was well attended. JDH compliments George Darwin's paper on the effects of the tide in squeezing the earth's surface, a subject that Italian physicists have also been investigating. The President's address was a dull one describing electric & gaseous modes of lighting with a mention of solar speculation. The meeting is small &lacks scientific men. The geology section has been the best with a good paper by Yule. JDH will wait to accompany Lady Hyacinth Hooker back from Poole to Kew unless his presence is required. JDH asks WTTD to forward any letters from his architect Waller. Charles Darwin's sons Frank [Francis], George & Horace are all at the meeting. William Darwin has a place near Southampton & JDH is stating with him, he asks that proofs of the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE from Reeves be forwarded to him there: Ridgemount, Bassett, Southampton.

No summary available.

No summary available.

JDH has just received a long letter from Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] who is travelling on the continent. JDH responds to his account of a railway accident. JDH comments on the town of Frijberg [Freiberg, Germany]. He notes that he never saw the 'Titi sea' & found the Black Forest 'deficient in water'. JDH liked the Volk's train he saw at the 1862 exhibition. He has considered sending his son Reginald Hooker to the German school WTTD saw. RBG Kew can send plants to de Barg. JDH mentions that he ran into Maximilian Leichtlin at Kew Bridge station. JDH plans to 'shift Xanthoceras'. JDH advises that WTTD will not be impressed by Lavalle's garden though he has a fine French country house. In RBG Kew news, JDH reports that he has condemned Mitford & Lessel's plan for the offices & lists its shortcomings for the offices of WTTD, Oliver, Smith & the Miss Hodgsons. Discusses negotiations regarding Kew Palace, P. Fane has reported that the Queen would be willing to give it up in exchange for an equivalent & Mr Leferne may have a scheme. [George] King has sent a memo to the Government of Bengal regarding the manufacture of the febrifuge [quinine] & JDH has received a letter from Colonel Henderson regarding a quinine factory in the Neilgherries [Nilgiris]. JDH briefly discusses the deficiencies in botany exams, specifically referring to some corrected proofs for the London University Exams & an article written by WTTD on the subject. Marianne north has written from the Cape saying she still wishes to see Welwitschia. JDH reports that Palms have gone to press & printing of Liliaceae is just finishing. JDH has named a curious species of Junceae after [Everard] im Thurn. Harriet [Thiselton Dyer nee Turner's] drawings have been lithographed & are ready for her to colour. Mentions the improvement to the herbarium grounds. Travelling expenses have been curtailed by the Board.

JDH agrees with what Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] has observed about the lateness of spring vegetation immediately south of the Alps. JDH met Mr Duckworth at the Royal Institute, he had recently seen WTTD & Harriet Thiselton-Dyer, they attended Balfour's lecture which was good in substance but not style. JDH never saw McMurdo's garden but imagines it was a 'floriferousness' looked after by his wife, a skilled gardener. JDH discusses plans for the Temperate House at RBG Kew & what should be put in the 'octagons', wings & centre depending on the conditions. He is certain they should be able to grow Banksias, south European plants & things from the Cape & Australia as they used to do in the abysmal old glass houses No.1 & No.3 museum, figures of the plants grown there can be seen in the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. JDH hopes de Barg will 'be carried'. Bliss is going on holiday & will prepare the pay sheets before he goes. [John] Smith has returned to RBG Kew but will leave again soon & still does not look well. JDH praise the work of Garrett as foreman & the improvements made to the No. 4 glasshouse. [William] Watson is generally doing well but JDH complains he put the sick palms in the unheated Cinchona pits, among other things. JDH doubts 'Master Derry's competence'. Heavy transplanting work is going on in the arboretum & lumber needs moving from the Zinnia[?] garden. He is about to begin work in glasshouse No.1 where things along the paths are killing each other whilst the middle is a vacuum. JDH wants [George] Bentham to arrange Munro's grasses, he needs to work if he is to recoup his expenses for the last part of GENERA [PLANTARUM]. Spottiswoode has gone to Italy for his health, Huxley is also reportedly ill. Tyndall & his wife visited, they are building a house. WTTD is invited to dine at the Pharmaceutical Society. Brandis will arrive in a week. Sends regards to Bessie White as was.

No summary available.

No summary available.

JDH returned to RBG Kew on 2 Aug 1884 to find John Smith was away in Harrogate with his seriously ill wife. In his absence JDH has made arrangements with [George] Nicholson. JDH last wrote to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer from Edinburgh. JDH expresses surprise that [George Samuel] Jenman has refused to accompany Everard Ferdinand im Thurn [on his expedition to ascend Mt Roraima?] & suggests he might raise the money for Jenman to go 'as guest'. He is writing to Geological Society & the Royal Society on the matter. He asks if Thomas[?] Foster is going to Montreal. George Bentham has returned to Wilton Place. JDH asks how [William?] Watson's beautiful plan of the palm house should be represented in the guidebook, he thinks it is too complicated for a wood-cut.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he has written to [John] Lubbock to arrange a meeting. He thinks WTTD can make a better plan for 'the offices' than John Lessels [of The Office of Works]. Smith has had a mild heart attack but expects to be back at work at RBG Kew in a day. JDH praises the rock garden. JDH is digesting [James Edward Tierney] Aitchison's letter, JDH wrote to Aitchison about his rose a moth previously. JDH will return to RBG Kew on Monday, 27 July 1885.

No summary available.

JDH describes the grounds of Cragside in Rothbury. He calls it a beautiful 'wilderness' rather than a garden & compares it to the Rhododendron region of the Himalayas & the Alleghenies of South Carolina. The owner Sir William Armstrong plants 650,00 plants a year, prominent species JDH mentons incl: Rhododendrons, Gaultheria, Ramie[?] Callunas, Ericas, Kalmias, Sedum Vaccinium myrtillus, Arbuti, Pernettyas, Polygonum sffine, Berberis & Cornel. Armstrong has offered to exchange plants with RBG Kew. There is a rock garden with [Eucalyptus?] nitens trees caulked by rock plants & a profusion of procumbent Cotoneasters. The gardener reports that the area is untroubled by weeds & JDH saw none. Was surprised by the presence of Cisti [Cistus] in such a cold place. JDH describes Cragside house as 'large & awkward' but admires the collection of paintings & extraordinary marble fire surround created by Richard Norman Shaw, who's work JDH does not generally admire. He criticises Shaw's design of the interior, commenting that is dark; even the [hydro] electric lighting being unable illuminate some areas. The house is isolated, an hour and a half from Morpeth. Describes Lady [Margaret] Armstrong as a cheery old lady who is her own housekeeper. Sir William is an wealthy ex solicitor with no family. John Hancock is at Cragside & JDH visited Newcastle Museum with him, where JDH admired the arrangement of the birds, which were superior to Landseer's & Hecknel's. A soldier Captain Salvin, relative of Osbert Salvin, is also at Cragside & has with him an otter & cormorants trained to fish.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] from [Cragside], Rothbury as he forgot to mention in his last letter, the presence of ferns along with Gaultheria, Heathers & Rhododendrons in the grounds there. Inglis Palgrave has advised JDH that he can afford to retire. JDH goes on to list his reasons for wanting to retire & his reservations about leaving RBG Kew. There should be someone competent in place to assume WTTD's position as Assistant Director when he is elevated to Director. Compliments the competency of WTTD in all areas of RBG Kew's work. Already he does things beyond JDH's understanding e.g. with the [Jodrell] laboratory. Currently JDH worries what would happen to RBG Kew if one of them fell ill, his own strength is failing & he is going deaf. His own retirement is not necessarily an opportunity to get rid of Curator John Smith but would be a good lever to induce the Board to make necessary changes. JDH discusses changes to be made in the Arboretum by WTTD with the help of a good bailiff, William Truelove, & George Nicholson & JDH would help even after retirement if needed. Also mentions planting rare trees & a 'formation' by the lake. He mentions the journey from his home 'The Camp'. Overall JDH thinks it wise to offer his retirement. He insists that WTTD should stay on at RBG Kew, where his work has earned him many plaudits from Government. JDH understands WTTD's nervousness about the change & had intended to work until he was 70 but is glad he can afford to retire now. Comments on WTTD's departmental reorganisation mentioning Truelove & Binden. JDH hopes that the Government might give him a consultant position as they did with Huxley, which would allow him to continue work on his 'beloved' FLORA INDICA & spend more time on the ICONES PLANTARUM & BOTANICAL MAGAZINE. JDH has 'worked in or for Kew for near 45 years, as a Collector, Describer & Director'. The Bentham bequest & necessary supervision of the herbarium will need to be discussed.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he must stay at the Hodgson's until the following Monday. JDH may need to send him a cheque to sign during the extended absence. JDH finds that [Brian Houghton] Hodgson has changed, his memory is poor and he has a cough & bad knee, he may go to Mentone for his health in the winter. The train journey brought back JDH's ear ache but it has passed again.

JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about his plans to meet with Algernon Freeman-Mitford, Secretary to the Office of Works, on returning to RBG Kew. JDH wishes to discuss with Mitford where to put more offices, potentially the Directors' House or Kew Palace. JDH writes of the decline of John Smith's health & control as Curator of RBG Kew. Smith has promised JDH that all the mould from the [glass] houses will go to the arboretum, & first to the starving horse chestnuts. JDH will be glad to return to Kew, though his hosts at Alderley Grange, the Hodgsons, are very kind.

JDH writes to inform Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that, sue to illness, he is unable to come to the herbarium as planned. JDH is reading [James Anthony] Froude's OCEANA, Froude is a fan of the Australian gardens. JDH has received a letter from Asa Gray, whose only news is that he is starting work on the Ranunculaceae for the American Flora, JDH thinks Gray will find the Thalamiflorae easy.

JDH thanks Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer [WTTD] for his letter & mentions a geological [society?] dinner. JDH describes his contentment with his short commute from the Camp in Sunningdale. He is not surprised that the [RBG Kew Directors'] House needs a lot of work as it has not been renovated in over 100 years & the basement used to flood regularly, but JDH is surprised that WTTD would have to pay for any repairs. He discusses the practicality of WTTD combining the 2 studies in the house. JDH concedes that WTTD may need to go to the 'Liver's' [for new livery?] but hopes that his old herbarium sword & coat will still be usable. JDH offers to write to Welby, on WTTD & [Algernon Freemna-]Mitford's behalf, about the imprudence of giving Byrne any power. JDH will dine with the X club on Thursday & then join WTTD at the Athenaeum Club. He hopes to come to Kew on Monday.

JDH informs Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer that he has received a reply from the Treasury [regarding his pension]. Stanhope has asked JDH if he can propose him to North as a Commissioner in connection with a potential international exhibition that the Government of South Australia wants to hold in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the colony, & JDH must accept. [Thomas Henry] Huxley is in good health & has taken up botany, he is studying Grisebach & comparing the distribution of Gentians to Crayfish. JDH has received some Perak plants to work on from Kings, including Andas. JDH [& his wife Hyacinth] are going to Bournemouth. He comments on the Prince [Edward] starting an institute which will include a museum of trade & art etc. He has had no news from 'Brian' for a long time. William Lister & his wife visited JDH & they discussed the Widow [Charlotte Page] Hance & the likelihood of getting her a pension for the work of her deceased Consul husband [Henry Fletcher Hance]. Charlotte Hance has appealed to Alcock to help her get a pension but it is very unlikely, she will continue to live in Hong Kong with her children, who are; 'too delicate for England'. 'Young Hooker' of Egypt is going to marry, he has reported that the French are being rapidly being ousted from Egypt & also given his opinion of Wolfe 'an extraordinary fish' socially but a brilliant at managing people & business.

Letter to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer regarding the action JDH is taking to pursue a fair pension payment for himself from the Government & the Navy, he has written a memo to Lord Salisbury [memo not present], called on Potter[?] & Fitzgerald[?] & written to Sir john Reid Director of the Medical Department of the Navy, & to the Secretary of the Admiralty. JDH has also written to Sir Hubert Maxwell about his pension complaining about the conduct of a Mr Plunket[?]. JDH also informs WTTD that he has written to Alcock & von Haast, reassuring them with platitudes. He refers to some exhibits as 'utterly demoralizing' & the ingratitude [of Alcock & von Haast] as typical of Germans who have benefited by England. He notes Gustav Mann as an 'honourable exception'. Notes that Welby will be attending a Royal Society dinner.