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Describes being happy living between a bamboo shack and a tent in the mountains. Returns to a hundred letters from Celia, his Mamma & others giving him a panoramic view of his life & people back home. Expresses disappointment that Celia & Cynthia not joining him but accepts he is coming straight home in January. Reads her letters little by little when falling asleep.

Writing to "Sweet Poison" [Ernest Gye] as resting after a ten days' trek searching for a hypothetical Rhododendron during which it rained relentlessly. Feels rudderless and needing the anchor of wedlock then swings away from this idea. Fed up with some Captain staying with Jumps [Euan H.M. Cox] and him who talks endlessly -Farrer states his ages makes him less tolerant, loses patience and ridicules him for being five-foot-nothing. Soon to go down to Htawgaw then a month's camping in a high-alpine valley which he hopes will be profitable and amusing. Complains of lack of art, architecture and antiquity in this country. Writes of the beauty of Nomocharis pardanthina, like a pink lily with a spotted Odontoglossum all over the alpine meadows, asks Ernest Gye to experiment with its seed.

Flowery expressions of Celia's loveliness & friendship.

Box 2: 1903-1913; includes Royal Horticultural Society certificates, 1902-1913; correspondence relating to Japan trip 1903; general correspondence mainly to mother and E.A. Bowles, 1905-1913; correspondence from Kandy, Ceylon and Colombo, 1908; correspondence from Canada, 1908; correspondence from Europe, 1908; correspondence to and from the Herberts, mainly 1908; correspondence from European trip, family and E.A. Bowles, 1910; items relating to Farrer's Parliamentary campaign, Ashford, Kent, 1910; correspondence from European trip, 1912; and copy of Primula Hybrids in Nature by R. Farrer from the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society, 1913.

Describes the rain, 4 days of forested mountain passes, then needing to cross a raging torrent on a bamboo raft. He, his pony and goods safely crossed to a dry shelter. The mules of his procession fled at the sight of the river crossing, hopes the treacherous mulemen in the forests suffering with leeches & ticks. ‘After miraculous paddlings, inshore among the boulders all a-blossom with scarlet Azaleas.’

Replies to Celia's letter expressing concern about her being taken to pieces on Freudian lines will change her. Writes how he is about to go somewhere remote for eight months, alone, unlikely to get post often and sees it as heroic. Writes of firming up plans to meet Celia & Cynthia in Rangoon. Comments about Marjorie's marriage. At end of letter, writes of his money troubles, his allowance of £1000 having halved in value due to rise in Rupee - notes cost of mules up country will be £300. Needs more shareholders for seeds and asks her to find any wealthy acquaintances who might be interested in a share in seeds of new trees, shrubs & flowers.

Receives her letter, sweet smelling, which confirms she will join him in Rangoon next winter. He describes possible sights to see when travelling to Peking or other places, such as where the Dalai Lama has his visiting Vicarage or Japan. Plan to return home by sea with Celia. Speaks of the War, her visit there to the Land of Agony & pleased with his book The Void of War being recognised as an interpretation of such a vast tragedy. Comments on the merits of laughter, religion and ridicules marriage. Prefers to believe in the permanent association of alliance between kindred beings. ‘I must come by sea, to act as a chaperone to my 36 great wooden cases of treasures, including, above all, my dear Celia's.’

Describes about to leave his camp to winter in Mandalay. Accepts Cynthia might marry another not him. Enthuses about the merits of women but no understanding at all of men. ‘Men, they are a perpetual puzzle, contradiction & delight.’