Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour M.D., 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 25 September 1906.
Forrest writes enclosing three prints of a species of primula discovered on the Lichiang [Lijiang] range [Yulong Xue Shan], with detailed description of the plant. Photograph IV is of a plant which he cannot place, and V is of a species of cypripedium. Gives detailed descriptions of both. Forrest also encloses some small specimens of primula, saxifrage and delphinium. This season he has secured from 20-30 species of both saxifrage and primula. ‘I could write much on the flowers I have seen and collected this season but I am so weak through my prolonged illness, that I have neither the heart nor the strength to do so. Besides it is such a long time since I received a letter from you, 10 months, that I am led to infer you have lost all interest in my wanderings and collecting, therefore you will pardon me if I make this my last communication before my departure for home.’
Plants referenced: Cypripedium; Delphinium; Pine; Primula; Saxifrage
Photographs referenced: I. Group of primula –Lichiang range; II. Flowering head of primula; III. Mass of primula plants in situ; IV. Unidentified plant; V. Cypripedium?
Letter has been badly fire damaged with some loss, including of text; as it is a large folded letter, there is a photocopy in the binder alongside which should be used to enable reading the text inside.

one map used in Forrest's article describing the geography and people of the Upper Salween during his visit there with Consul George Litton in late 1905. The article was published by the Royal Geographical Society in 1908 with this accompanying map, and again by the National Geographical Society in 1910.

•Box containing photographs of an expedition to China, and George Forrest related photographs, 2003

This box comprises mainly correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer and Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (1888-1922) but there is also correspondence to/from Sir/Colonel David Prain, Arthur W. Hill, W.R. Dykes, George Redman of the Craven Nursery, and Edward Arnold.

The albums appear to be from William Purdom who travelled and collected plants with Reginald Farrer in Kansu / Gansu, northern China in 1914-1915, but one was compiled by Reginald Farrer and three relate to their collecting trip, so all 5 albums have been stored within the Reginald Farrer collection.

A collection of 21 letters donated to the RBGE Archives in 2017, written by Reginald Farrer and sent to Lady Celia Brunel Noble.

Photograph Album donated to the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh in 1984 by Miss Gwen Hall, Cumbria. It was bequeathed to her in 1976 by Elsie Purdom, William's sister. There should have been 2 albums but only one was transferred. [It looks as if the other one went to the Lakeland Horticultural Society, and is now at RBGE on permanent loan - RJF/3/1]

Farrer Correspondence (82 letters in 2 folders) relating to Farrer and Purdom's expedition to Kansu [Gansu] province in north China between 1914 and 1915.
folder 1, letters 1-40 includes correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer, Isaac Bayley Balfour, David Prain, Arthur W. Hill, W.R. Dykes (regarding Farrer's irises from China) and George Redman of Farrer's Craven nursery.
folder 2, letters 41-82 includes correspondence to and from Reginald Farrer, Isaac Bayley Balfour, George Redman, and Edward Arnold, publisher, regarding problems with an appendix to one of Farrer's books.