Item 9i - Copy transcription of a letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour to George Forrest

1 letter, 2 sheets, 7 pages

This copy letter had been stored separately to the correspondence files and was in one of the 'Miscellaneous' boxes; it was incorporated into the letter sequence by using the reference number of the associated letter in the sequence with an additional 'i' suffix and filed accordingly by L. Paterson, 16 March 2026.

Letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to George Forrest in Yunnan dated 13 February 1905.
Balfour apologises for not writing earlier. "Today I am happy in being able to tell you that your case of plants has arrived - and what a treat you have given me! I know something of the difficulties of collecting but my experience of obstacles pales before your description of the conditions under which you have had to work. Yet what a result! Yous specimens are splendid and their interest botanically intense."
Balfour goes on to discuss some Primulas, including Primula japonica and Primula muscarioides (new to Balfour); Rhododendrons, including Rhododendron campylocarpum, and others unknown to Balfour. Saxifraga, Cassiope, Gentians, Corydalis, Clematis, Viburnum, Lonicera, Eukianthes, Pieris, Plumbago, Fritillaria, Lilium, Berberis, Polygonum, Trollius, Cornus, and Orchids including Cypripedium.
Balfour reassures Forrest that his collecting and accounts are all excellent, and finishes with a small update from Edinburgh: Tagg has just returned from a trip to Australia and the Treasury is appointing a committee to go into the whole question of our Herbarium and the necessary accomodation there and this I hope will result in immediate action. Mr. Jeffrey, Miss Traill and others continue to work there as heretofore.

Permission required from RBGE.

• English