In 1839 the amateur botanist Thomas Harris of Middlesex is seeking specimens of Cactae from Dr John Imray in Dominica

 

This water-damaged letter evidences the obsessiveness which characterises dedicated collectors; equally, it is true that the writer Thomas Harris made significant contributions to botanical knowledge in the Victorian period and there are plants the Latin names of which incorporate his surname. He was wealthy and employed gardeners. The recipient Dr John Imray (1811-1880) born in Scotland spent his adult life in Dominica as a medical doctor and died there. He was politically active and also an enthusiastic botanist in regular correspondence with the Hookers, father and son, best known as directors of  the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. Imray has a Wikipedia page. There is a small detail in this letter worth attention: Harris suggests that Imray “would employ a negro” to do the actual job of collecting cactus specimens. This implies that the person selected would know what to look for and how to go about gathering specimens in a manner which would ensure their survival – Harris makes detailed proposals of his own in relation to this. Someone researching Imray’s life might be able to discover if he employed regular assistants and who they were.

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Transcription

Addresses to: Dr John Imray Roseau Dominica. Care of Messrs Alex. Dalrymple & Co near East India Chambers Leadenhall Street

Datelined: Kingsbury Middx. June 26 1839

Postmarked: Local postage paid mark applied on despatch and later crossed out, London PAID mark 1 JY 1839, charged 4/2 [four shillings and two pence] on arrival.

 

Dear Sir

My worthy Friend Sir W Hooker  of Glasgow whose note you will received inclosed – recommended you to me as a zealous agent in the cause of botanical science. Through him I take the liberty of soliciting your aid, in behalf of my collection of Orchidea and Cactae in the way suggested in his note; or in any other way more suitable to yourself. I have alredy a large number of both tribes of plants, but few I believe from your parts, and therefore most gladly avail myself of Sir Wm’s introduction; desirous of making my collection as compleat as possible. If, therefore, you would employ a negro, to collect, three of four plants of each kind of Cactus he could find, and the same with orchidea I would most willingly pay his expences, and the other charges of packing and boxes.

The Cactus tribe are so tenacious of life, as to be peculiarly suited to the convenience of a resident naturalist, they sustain little or no injury, though out of the ground for months, thus enabling one to procure a few through different channels, or correspondents, to be laid by till a sufficient number is procured to fill a box. In addition to what you may please to send I shall be glad to hear whether there are many other species and varieties possible to be procured at no great distance.

As respects to taking up and packing of Cacti may I presume to offer a few suggestions – they should not be pulled or twisted out of the ground – this is of the greatest consequence – but, merely be cut off their roots at or a little beneath the surface of the ground – and dried a few days, weeks, or even months in the shade and to be packed in dry saw dust, or in very dry grass, and small pieces of sticks, always bearing in mind that the slightest bruise is fatal  to the round ribbed sorts, called melo-cacti – and these are the most valuable kinds. Seeds of Cacti, washed out and dried, will carry safely in coarse brown paper or if that part of the Cactus in which the seed vessel is placed, is cut out and dried a little they will carry very well in that state. In all cases where seeds of any species can be got they are of the greatest interest to me. I believe no one else here will take the troubles of growing them, and the interest is much increased when a description of the plant to which they belong accompanies them.

All this I humbly submit to your better judgment, assuring you that I shall be most grateful for anything you can do for me in this way, and much ready to return it in the manner most ageeable to yourself.

I remain My dear Sir your …….[split in paper] Thomas Harris

To Dr John Imray   Roseau   Dominica.

My Agents in London are Messrs F & L ?] Smith Trinity Chambers to whom you will please direct.

 

References

Wikipedia: John Imray

Wikipedia: William Jackson Hooker