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"Report has been printed as a Government Notification (No. 339); but as in that form its circulation will necessarily be very limited, I think the facts deserve the wider circulation which will be afforded by the Society's Journal In addition to abstracts of the more interesting portions of the Report Mr. DYER added some notes of interesting botanical and historical particulars in reference to Cassia lignea. In the discussion which followed the reading of Mr. DYER's paper mention was made of two other kinds of Cassia lignea from China, which have appeared in the London market, and on which information is still required. It will be my endeavour to try to procure the desired information. Inquiries have been made on this subject, but they have, however, not yet elicited any more knowledge on the question.
15. There is still some doubt as to where Cinnamomum Cassia exists in a wild state. It may be of some interest to state that in recently looking over the travels of Marco Polo I noticed that he says in reference to the province of Thibet :- cinnamon and coral occur" (p 137); and again:-“It yields ginger, cinnamon, and other spices." Alluding to a river which he calls Brius he says "on its banks is found abundance of cinnamon" (p. 140). It may be that these districts in Thibet are the home of the cassia in a wild state.
16. As much time as could possibly be spared has been bestowed on the herbarium. The re-arrangement of the plants according to the Genera Plantarum has been begun. The West River Expedition was the means of considerably enriching the collection of dried Chinese plants, as every possible opportunity was made use of to procure specimens of what we did not possess My best thanks are due to Dr H. F HANCE F.L.S., for his kind assistance, and the use which he was good enough to allow me to make of his valuable library and herbarium at Whampoa in determining the plants collected on the West River, and also for valuable help in other ways. We are also much indebted to Kew for help in the identification of dried plants. We have still an immense work to do before we possess in the herbarium even the already known plants of China, but as the opportunities and facilities for travelling in the Empire become greater we shall be able to gradually lessen this work, which it is most important should be thoroughly taken in hand by this establishment, as if we wait for specimens to be sent to us by amateur collectors the time when a tolerably complete herbarium might be expected would be far distant. Except what we have, there is no public herbarium in China; therefore as the work of providing one would seem to belong peculiarly to Hongkong, it is most earnestly to be hoped that the work towards its accomplishment may be pushed on with vigour.
17. The exchanges of plants and seeds &c., has been continued. The receipts were 495 plants, 500 packets and bags of seeds, 23 animals, and 7 Wardian cases, in which some of the plants were contained, from 46 contributors.
18. The plants sent out were 2,617, and of seeds 354 boxes, bags, and packets, and 10 Wardian cases, in 99 consignments to 44 recipients.
19. The following is the list of principal contributors to the Gardens :-
Alabaster, H., Bangkok;numerous orchids and other plants. Bailey, J., Ningpo;Paicha wood specimens for museum. Bailey, Major, Forest School, Dehra Dun.;forest tree seeds. Botanic Gardens, Adelaide, Dr. Schomburgh, Director;Australian seeds. Jamaica, D. Morris, M. A., Director;seeds. Natal, J. M. Wood, Superintendent;seeds. Singapore, N. Cantley, Superintendent;2 Wardian cases plants, &c Tergeste, Dr. Raimondi To-minz, Director;seeds. Townsville, W. Anderson, Superintendent;seeds. Trinidad, H. Prestoe, Superintendent;seeds Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon, Dr. H. Trimen, Director;Wardian case plants, seeds, &c. Calcutta, Dr. G. King, Superintendent,valuable plants. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Sir Joseph D Hooker, K.C.S.I., C.B., &c., Director;seeds & bulbs. Bruce, R.E., Kiung-chow;1 bear. Bruce, R. H., Amoy;1 cassowary. Brown, H. S., Manila;valuable orchids. Cordes, G. A., R. C. Feih;Formosa plants. Gardner, Captain, S S. Japan;Indian birds. Henry, Rev. B.C., Canton;plants and seeds. Horticultural Gardens, Lucknow H. Ridley, Superintendent;seeds. Kopsch, H., Pakhoi;valuable plants and seeds of Illicium. Mo Sih Chui, Canton;seeds in quantity of Aleuritis vernicia. Museum of Natural History, Trieste, Dr. Marchesette, Director;seeds. Pasedag, C., Amoy;plants and seeds. Perry, W. Wykeham, R.N.;specimens of North Chinese plants. Roberts, J. F., Melbourne;seeds of Australian trees and shrubs. Romano, A. G.;seeds. Sampson, Theo., Canton;plants. Veitch J. & Sons, London;seeds. Watters, T, Tamsui;herbarium specimens.Page 75
Page 76
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"Report has been printed as a Government Notification (No. 339); but as in that form its circulation "will necessarily be very limited, I think the facts deserve the wider circulation which will be afforded 'by the Society's Journal In addition to abstracts of the more interesting portions of the Report Mr. DYER added some notes of interesting botanical and historical particulars in reference to Cassia lignea. In the discussion which followed the reading of Mr. DYER's paper mention was made of two other kinds of Cassia lignea from China, which have appeared in the London market, and on which information is still required. It will be my endeavour to try to procure the desired information. Inquiries have been made on this subject, but they have, however, not yet elicited any more knowledge on the question.
៩
15. There is still some doubt as to where Cinnamomum Cassia exists in a wild state. It may be of some interest to state that in recently looking over the travels of Marco Polo I noticed that he says in reference to the province of Thibet :- cinnamon and coral occur" (p 137); and again:-“It "yields ginger, cinnamon, and other spices." Alluding to a river which he calls Brius he says "on its banks is found abundance of cinnamon" (p. 140). It may be that these districts in Thibet are the home of the cassia in a wild state.
"
16. As much time as could possibly be spared has been bestowed on the herbarium. The re-arrangement of the plants according to the Genera Plantarum has been begun. The West River Expedition was the means of considerably enriching the collection of dried Chinese plants, as every possible opportunity was made use of to procure specimens of what we did not possess My best thanks are due to Dr H. F HANCE F.L.S., for his kind assistance, and the use which he was good enough to allow me to make of his valuable library and herbarium at Whampoa in determining the plants collected on the West River, and also for valuable help in other ways. We are also much indebted to Kew for help in the identification of dried plants. We have still an immense work to do before we possess
in the herbarium even the already known plants of China, but as the opportunities and facilities for travelling in the Empire become greater we shall be able to gradually lessen this work, which it is most important should be thoroughly taken in hand by this establishment, as if we wait for specimens to be sent to us by amateur collectors the time when a tolerably complete herbarium might be expected would be far distant. Except what we have, there is no public herbarium in China; therefore as the work of providing one would seem to belong peculiarly to Hongkong, it is most earnestly to be hoped that the work towards its accomplishment may be pushed on with vigour.
17. The exchanges of plants and seeds &c., has been continued. The receipts were 495 plants, 500 packets and bags of seeds, 23 animals, and 7 Wardian cases, in which some of the plants were contained, from 46 contributors.
18. The plants sent out were 2,617, and of seeds 354 boxes, bags, and packets, and 10 Wardian cases, in 99 consignments to 44 recipients.
/19. The following is the list of principal contributors to the Gardens :-
Alabaster, H., Bangkok; numerous orchids and
other plants.
Bailey, J., Ningpo; Paicha wood specimens for
museum.
Bailey, Major, Forest School, Dehra Dun.; forest
tree seeds.
Botanic Gardens, Adelaide, Dr. Schomburgh,
"
""
"
"
Director; Australian seeds. Jamaica, D. Morris, M. A.,
Director; seeds.
Natal, J. M. Wood, Superin-
tendent; seeds.
Singapore, N. Cantley, Super- intendent; 2 Wardian cases plants, &c
Tergeste, Dr. Raimondi To-
minz, Director; seeds. Townsville, W. Anderson,
Superintendent; seeds. Trinidad, H. Prestoe, Super-
intendent; seeds
Royal Botanic Gardens, Ceylon, Dr. H. Trimen,
""
Director; Wardian case plants, seeds, &c. Calcutta, Dr. G. King, Superintendent, valu- able plants.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Sir Joseph D
Hooker, K.C.S.I., C.B., &c., Director; seeds & bulbs.
Bruce, R.E., Kiung-chow; 1 bear. Bruce, R. H., Amoy; 1 cassowary. Brown, H. S., Manila; valuable orchids. Cordes, G. A., R. C. Feih; Formosa plants. Gardner, Captain, S S. Japan; Indian birds. Henry, Rev. B.C., Canton; plants and seeds. Horticultural Gardens, Lucknow H. Ridley,
Superintendent; seeds.
Kopsch, H., Pakhoi; valuable plants and seeds
of Illicium.
Mo Sih Chui, Canton; seeds in quantity of Aleu-
ritis vernicia.
Museum of Natural History, Trieste, Dr. Mar-
chesette, Director; seeds.
Pasedag, C., Amoy; plants and seeds.
Perry, W. Wykeham, R.N.; specimens of North
Chinese plants.
Roberts, J. F., Melbourne; seeds of Australian
trees and shrubs.
Romano, A. G.; seeds.
Sampson, Theo., Canton; plants.
Veitch J. & Sons, London; seeds.
Watters, T, Tamsui; herbarium specimens.
*
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