Letter and/or further information available at http://jdh.aetopia.net/p/jdh?q=jhc322.
Please cite as “JHC322,” in Ɛpsilon: The Joseph Dalton Hooker Collection accessed on 29 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/hooker/letters/JHC322
JDH thanks Francis Boott for writing to him, he was particularly glad to hear Boott's account of the health of his father, Sir William Jackson Hooker. JDH thinks that WJH's new position as Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew will be a positive change for his health, with increased time outside walking. JDH also thanks Boott for sending him a letter from Lady Smith, who JDH remembers meeting at his grandfather's years before. He will copy Smith's letter & return the original to Boott from the Cape of Good Hope. JDH is pleased that Boott is still studying Carices as the genus Carex is important in most Antarctic countries, he asks if Boott has made any observations on its geographical distribution. JDH gives some figures for the comparative occurrence of Cyperaceae to Gramineae in New Zealand, The Falkland Islands, Spitzbergen, Auckland Island, Kerguelen Islands, Campbell Island, & Australia & comments that the descending scale for the southern regions is in perfect accordance with what would be expected from their position & climate. But, this information is confidential as all botanical findings from the expedition are only meant to be communicated through the Lord Commissioners. At Hermite Island JDH found 1 possible Carex & an Uncinia. He was given a plant believed to be Tussac by the Governor [of the Falkland Islands, Richard Clement Moody] but it proved to be Carex trifida, which is eaten by cattle along with Tussac grass. JDH collected some new species in New Zealand & Van Diemen's Land [Tasmania]. He has not heard any botanical results from the American Antarctic Squadron but has high hopes from accounts of them at the Bay of Islands. JDH comments on the 'right of search question' & states that it should not effect botanical correspondence, in his opinion. JDH & Captain Ross send their regards to Boott & his family.
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