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E. Colborne Baber ‘Royal Geographical Society Supplementary Papers Vol. I. Part 1: Travels and Researches in Western China’ London, 1882

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, to Arthur Kilpin Bulley [Ness, Neston, Cheshire] dated 28 June 1905.
'...I should much like to take in hand identifications of the new things you raise. I shall be working up his dried plants and of course anything you may send will be held in trust by us as are the dried specimens from him. He will, I am sure, do great things for you. His last letter to me glowed with enthusiasm in the prospect of his northern migration.
'Mrs Traill is I am afraid rather foolish, and should have learned by now that no other reply than that you have given is possible from those who know Forrest. I do not think Miss Traill is now so unhappy – the subject is become ‘taboo’ at home.” Hopes that Bulley’s kind offer of work for Miss Traill will not be necessary.
‘If you can carry out your proposal, and have all these nurseries controlled from one centre, you will have made a great stride towards securing uniformity in garden names and safeguarding plant lovers from their present tax in buying over again one plant under a variety of names...’
Copy has been made by Balfour's assistant Henry Hastings.
Letter has been scorched with some loss, but not of text.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to George Litton Esq., H.B.M. Consul, Teng Yueh [Tengchong], dated 25 September 1905.
Balfour thanks Litton for his letters and his kindness to George Forrest. 'Truly his escape seems to have been miraculous and we are now anxiously looking forward to his letters giving us the story of his adventures'; ‘He is all you say of him and his collections are indeed marvellous for their perfection. What he has already done is great and gives promise of even greater things in the future - but what that will be we cannot judge until we hear what has really happened to him and what his present state is.’
Letter has been scorched.

Typed copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, [RBGE], to A.K. Bulley [Ness, Neston, Cheshire] dated 19 August 1905.
Balfour writes briefly to let Bulley know that Forrest is alive and safe.
Letter has been scorched with some loss, but not of text.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley, Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 21 August 1905.
Balfour writes to Bulley to forward communications from the Foreign Office. Balfour adds that ‘Forrest is a capital letter-writer and his next one should be full of thrilling details.’
Balfour urges Bulley to remember that Forrest’s work is ‘exploration contributing to scientific knowledge and that the life he is leading is that which he longed for, he revels in it, and we could not have realised his wish for it but for your enterprising kindness in employing him.’
Letter has been scorched.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley, Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 22 August 1905.
Balfour writes to forward further communication from the Foreign Office to A.K. Bulley.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley, Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 20 September 1905.
Balfour promises to send copies of all the photographs relating to Forrest plants that RBGE produce. Balfour is finding it difficult to identify the rhododendrons sent by Forrest from descriptions only but hopes that Dr Henry [of the Paris Herbarium?] will be able to assist. ‘I have one twig from Forrest of a veritable “blue” Rhododendron. I hope you have seed of it.' Balfour states that he wishes Bulley would allow his name to appear on the herbarium labels as he is the sponsor of the collection. He reports receiving letters from Litton amplifying the news already received via telegram; they are with Forrest's family but Balfour will send them to Bulley when he can.
Letter has been scorched with some loss, there is also some water damage.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley, Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 17 August 1905.
Balfour writes to express his grief at the death of George Forrest and regret at the loss of ‘a born collector’. ... 'We have lost a really good man from whom I had looked for great horticultural prizes.'

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Arthur Kilpin Bulley, Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 05 September 1905.
Balfour writes to Bulley to discuss the difficulty of naming plants sent by Forrest, as not all plants from the Chinese flora have been previously identified, including those in collections made by Wilson, Henry, Soulie, Ducloux and others. Balfour sends photographs of mounted specimens and requests approval for a proposed style of label.
Plants referenced: Gentian; Primulaceae; Ranunculaceae.
Letter has some minor scorch damage.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Arthur Kilpin Bulley Esq., 8A Rumford Place, Liverpool, dated 04 October 1905.
Balfour writes to acknowledge Bulley's previous letter and to discuss his identification of the Cyananthus sent by Forrest; Balfour's opinion is that revision of the nomenclature will ultimately be necessary.
Plant referenced: Cyananthus
Letter is slightly charred.