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Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour to Arthur Kilpin Bulley dated 28 April 1904 recommending George Forrest as a plant collector; 'Dear Mr Bulley, There is a man, Forrest, here who is on the look out for a billet such as you describe. I have given your letter to him and he will write to you. He was recommended to my notice by John Abercrombie [sic], the Naturalist, as a man who was collecting plants for some Society on Scotland and who wished to go abroad as a collector. I could find nothing for him in that line but took him on my staff in the Herbarium so that, whilst of use to us, he might gain a wider knowledge of plants. He has been working here for about six months and I have found him an excellent industrious and steady man. He has had opportunity here of getting to know a good deal about the plants of the world and he seems to have profitted by it. The head of the Herbarium speaks very highly of him. He is a strongly built fellow and seems to me to be of the right grit for a collector.'

Set of letters between RBGE and Forrest, or connected to Forrest, dating to 1904.

Folder of letters and copy letters sent at the time Forrest started working at RBGE between June and September 1903.

Letter from Grace Forrest to Isaac Bayley Balfour dated 18 November 1904 sending a copy of her brother’s diary of his journey from Bhamo to Tali [Dali]. Her last news was from Tibet where ‘Mr Litton and he were suffering greatly from the changes of atmosphere’.

Letter from George Forrest to Isaac Bayley Balfour dated 08 November 1904 in which Forrest confirms the despatch of 380 plant specimens collected on his recent journey to Tzekou [Cigu]. Next trip will be to the north of the Lichiang [Lijiang] valley, working the range of mountains which cause the Yangtze bend and along the base of an immense glacier on the eastern slope of the Lichiang peak. If this proves unproductive he will go on again to the Chung Tien plateau which he and Litton were the first Europeans to visit. Believes the range forming the Mekong and Salween divide to be exceptionally rich in rhododendrons, azaleas, gentians, primulas and a five foot tall lilium with immense white bloom marked in red and highly perfumed. Specimens have been collected by the missionary fathers at Tzekou who will send bulbs to Balfour and Bulley via consul Litton. Describes journey north into Tibet with Litton, leaving Talifu [Dali] on 29 August, returning 53 days later, having covered around 1000 miles. On being mobbed at the horse fair at Sung Kwei they had to draw their revolvers in defence but had some horses and mules stolen. Gives details of their route to and from Tibet, describing plants and vegetation and a river crossing by sling bridge, illustrated by a sketch. Has felt depressed since returning to Tali, probably a reaction to so much travel and constant exposure to wet conditions and extremes of heat and cold. Regrets that all his photographs were spoiled by dampness and intends to ask Bulley for a supply of photographic plates. Confirms that there is a pine belt in Yunnan and part of Tibet, generally starting at about 9,500 feet and continuing to about 15,000 feet.

Letter from George Forrest to Isaac Bayley Balfour 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.’

Photocopy of letter sent by John Abercromby, Secretary of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland to Isaac Bayley Balfour, dated 21 June 1903; Asks if Balfour knows of any person or society wanting a collector of botanical specimens abroad. Recommends ‘a young fellow of the name of Forrest’ who looks ‘the right sort of man.’

Letter from George Forrest to Isaac Bayley Balfour dated 19 February 1904 warning that, despite his interest in the work, it will be impossible to continue at the present rate of payment.