Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], Yunnan, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 04 April 1905.
Forrest writes that he has received the photographic plates and thanks Balfour for the present of books; he was greatly cheered by his letter as he was beginning to lose heart. Forrest discusses provenance and identification of primulas and cassiope and asks for hints on the packing of bulbs of lilies and orchids. Forrest hopes to leave Talifu [Dali] on 10 April but he is having trouble hiring transport as the Wei Hsi pass at an elevation of 14,000 feet, the only way to Tsekou [Cigu], is infested by robbers, a tribe of aborigines called Lisaws [Lissoos], dispossessed of their lands by the Chinese. ‘Occasionally they make a raid on the caravans crossing from Chu Tien on the Yangtze to Wei Hsi. They have no firearms, but use powerful crossbows and small poisoned arrows which the Chinese are mortally afraid of.’ Longer delay would mean losing many of the spring flowers. Forrest is pleased that Balfour knows of his engagement to Miss Clementina Traill and asks if one of the new species could be named after her. Has received way bill from Cook & Son for the second batch of plants numbering 220 which he sent off on 13 January. Warns that Balfour will hear nothing further for the next ten months as he will not return to Tali until January or February next year [1906]. Mr Bulley wishes him to remain out until at least 1907. Forrest reports that all over Yunnan and the west of China, the locals use the beans and pods of Gleditschia [Gleditsia] sinensis, Lamb. and Sapindus Mukorossi, Gaertn. to wash their clothes.
Plants referenced: Cassiope; Cypripedium; Gleditsia; Lily; Pine; Primula; Sapindus; Saxifrage
Letter has been burnt and there has been some loss.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], Yunnan, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 08 April 1905.
Forrest writes that he has despatched a parcel of 105 specimens. He apologises for haste but is joining a caravan of unladen mules which will take him to Tzekou [Cigu]. There is a brief description of a mixture of seeds, collected for him by a Tibetan soldier acting as his servant who ‘returned to camp in the evening with all the seeds he had collected stuck inside his tunic, and a hopeless mixture.’ He encloses two photographs, one of primula, the other of fumaria, with description of their provenance. The photographs are no longer with the letter.
Plants referenced: Acacia; Fumaria; Gentian; Orchid; Primula
The letter has been burnt, with some loss, but not affecting the text.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 15 April 1906.
Forrest writes to say he is about to go north to Lichiangfu [Lijiang] and the big bend of the Yangtze to scour the range there and work the peak up to the limit of the snow. If he can find species he saw on his way down from [Tse]kou [Cigu] in July-August he may spend the whole season there but more likely he will trek north to the [Chu]ng Tien plateau or around [Tse]kou. Means to run no risks but will do his best. Fears he has failed to satisfy Mr Bulley. Notes that Balfour has named a species of corydalis with yellow flowers after him.
Plants referenced: Corydalis; Rubus
Letter badly fire damaged with some loss including of text.
Letter from George Forrest, Talifu [Dali], Yunnan, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, RBGE, dated 28 October 1904, in which he states he has been to Tzekou [Tsekou; Cigu] in Tibet, on the Mekong; gives itinerary of journey and details of seeds collected, about 100 species, including primulas, three species of androsace but only one gentian. Consignment has gone to Mr Bulley and also 150 or 200 specimens to Prof Balfour. Asks him not to tell Bulley about the specimens which ‘I am collecting for my own pleasure and in my spare time and they are a free gift to you.’
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 11 September 1905.
Forrest writes to say that having recovered his strength he has decided to join Mr. Litton on a journey to the Salween-Irrawadi [Irrawaddy] Divide. He hopes to push as far north as 28 degrees, directly west of Tsekou - 'however there is no danger of our being disturbed by llamas [sic] as the valleys are wholly populated by Shans and Lissoos'. Forrest hopes to send many new things, but as the season is so far advanced, Forrest's mode of collecting seeds 'is bound to be what Mr. Bulley terms 'hocus pocus' i.e. gathering the seed without having seen the plant in flower wherever I go, so the best I can do is to get on to really new ground.'
Letter has been scorched with a little loss.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 5 January 1905.
Forrest describes sending Balfour 213 specimens via Cook and Son, Rangoon. He returned to Dali 10 days ago from second trip north. He is unable to go further than Chung Tien as the Atunze [Atuntze, now Tehtsin] pass is blocked by snow. Has taken notes on his journey from Chung Tien down the plateau to the Yangtze, to be incorporated into Mr Litton’s report to the Government. Asks again for names of three saxifrage specimens sent with his letter of 7 September. Leaves for Yunnanfu on Tuesday 10 [January] with Consul General Wilkinson to travel south to Mengtzu. On return, Forrest will go straight to Tsekou [Cigu] and work north and east from there for rest of the year. Mr Bulley wishes him to go into Lolo country which he will do if he can get two reliable Tibetans to act as guide and servant. Intends to work across from Atunze into an area blank on the map, intersected by rivers Yangtze, Li-tang and Ya-lung. ‘The great difficulty of course is the keeping clear of the lamasseries. This is Lolo country and it would …be no use taking Chinese …The hatred between them is intense. I would only be able to manage with Tibetans and these again are entirely under the thumb of the lamas.’
Plants referenced: Rhododendron; Saxifrage
The letter is fire damaged with some loss of text.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali] to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour, Regius Keeper, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 10 March 1905.
Forrest writes to say he has collected about 200 specimens during his trip to Yunnanfu [Kunming]. Asks if Professor Balfour received two packages despatched on November 14 (380 specimens) and January 10 (220 specimens). Advises him to pay no heed to Mr Wilkinson’s request for flower seeds if it means bother and expense.
Letter is scorched.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 09 January 1905.
Forrest writes to say he has despatched a parcel with specimens and looks forward to having a fine collection from Tsekou [Cigu] and the ranges north, if Mr Bulley sanctions the trip. Weather gloriously clear. ‘During this season of the year Tali is an ideal place for a health resort and is utterly lost on such people as the Chinese. I mean the valley of course not the city.’
Letter is fire damaged.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 20 March 1906.
Forrest writes to enclose ‘a short account of our late journey up the Salwin; also 30 photos.’ Hopes consignments of plants arrive safely.
Letter has been badly fire damaged with some loss, including to text.
Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour, 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 17 April 1906.
Forrest writes to request the identification of two species of rhododendron described in detail. He has engaged two indigenous collectors to work the Tsan Shan [Cang Shan] range west of Talifu during his absence in the north. He hopes they will obtain 2,000 species.
Plants referenced: Orchid; Rhododendron
Letter has been fire damaged with some loss, including of text.