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.
Letter from George Forrest, Tsekou [Cigu], S.E. Tibet, to Isaac Bayley Balfour M.D., 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 03 July 1905.
Forrest writes to thank Balfour for the twenty volumes of the Linnaean Journal and for the seeds for the Consul General at Yunnanfu. Collecting has been hampered by trouble with the lamas and bad weather, but Forrest hopes to make up for lost time and secure twelve or fifteen hundred species. Forrest intends to leave for the U.K. around the end of December, subject to Mr Bulley’s approval: ‘I gather that he wishes me to remain out here for another year or so, but I do not think I shall consent, at least not at the present rate of payment.’ Although Forrest likes the work he would prefer collecting botanical specimens alone, rather than seeds.
The situation with the lamas remains dangerous: ‘Owing to the stupidity of the official who was sent north to Atuntze, the lamas of that place, and Yarragong in Yangtze valley have been allowed to escape and scatter in all directions. They have great influence over the people and as they are inciting them to rebellion we fear much trouble in the near future.’
Forrest describes an orchid growing on cliffs in the valley around Tsekou and two species of rubus, of which he encloses small scraps.
Forrest warns that Pere Monbeig is intending to write to Balfour to see if Balfour will buy specimens from him, reassuring Balfour that he has nothing to do with this.
Plants referenced: Gentian; Orchid; Rubus; Saxifrage
Letter has been scorched and there is slight damage, likely from a plant specimen inserted in the letter.
Letter from the Co-operative Bees Ltd. Nurseries (J.H.), Ness, Neston, Cheshire, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Edinboro' Botanic Garden, dated 06 July 1905.
Letter accompanying plants sent for identification by 'our collector, G. Forrest', including convolvulus.
Plants referenced: Convolvulus
Letter has been scorched with some loss (though not text)
Letter from George Forrest, Tsekou, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, M.D., 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 13 July 1905.
Forrest writes to say he is pleased to learn that he has discovered one or two new species. Forrest describes where he collected new species of parnassia. He has just returned from a week in the valleys of the Mekong-Salween divide, with favourable results, although the higher peaks and passes were inaccessible owing to heavy snow. There were a surprising number of species in flower, some forcing their way through the snow. Forrest describes plants and habitats of meconopsis integrifolia, corydalis, rhododendrons, primulas and lilium: ‘If I am not the first to send home seed of this species [meconopsis integrifolia], I hope to be the first to send home photos of it taken in situ…’
Regarding the trouble with the lamas, Forrest states: ‘… we have had bad news this week again. The report is that the Chinese have been defeated once more but I cannot vouch for the truth of this.’ ... ‘I am now well on in my sixth hundred of species over six hundred sheets. Got a big rise last week. Three more species of orchidaceae.’
Forrest describes and sketches a peculiar kind of fern [p.12] and sketches a new primula with pendulous flowers [p.8].
Plants referenced: Aspideum; Fern; Fritillaria; Corydalis; Lilium; Meconopsis; Nephrodium; Orchidaceae; Parnassia; Pine; Primula; Prunus; Rhododendron; Saxifrage
Letter has been fire damaged with some loss, including text. The letter has also been damaged, presumably by a plant specimen inserted in the envelope.
Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, to Bees & Co. Ltd., Ness, Neston, Cheshire, dated 19 July 1905.
Balfour provides Bees with identifications of 5 plants, expressing his view that Forrest must have been collecting in some Chinese Garden... 'the anomalous source of the four plants has been rather perplexing'.
Plants referenced: Geum; Ipomaea; Moltkia; Oenothera; Verbascum
Letter is slightly charred.
Letter from the Co-operative Bees Ltd. Nurseries (E.H.?), Ness, Neston, Cheshire, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, F.R.S., Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 24(?) July 1905.
Bees Ltd write to acknowledge receipt of Balfour's letter identifying plants and seeks his opinion on a plant received under the name of Geum virginianum. Sending fresh specimen of Geum and also of a species of Verbascum raised from seeds received from M. [Walter] Siehe.
Plants referenced: Geum; Verbascum
Letter slightly charred with slight loss, though not text.
Letter from George Litton, H.M. Consulate, Tengyueh, via Bhamo, Burma, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 15 August 1905.
Litton writes to inform Balfour of the murder of George Forrest at Tsekou as a result of attack by Tibetan lamas on 20 July. He will do all in his power to secure an inquiry.
Letter has been fire damaged with some loss.
Letter from Sir Eldon Gorst, Foreign Office, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 17 August 1905.
Gorst is directed by the Marquess of Lansdowne 'to state that he has been requested by Mr. Litton, His Majesty's Consul at Tengyueh, in the provinces of Yunnan, to inform you that there seems unfortunately little doubt that an Englishman named Forest [sic] was murdered on July 21, in the course of the disturbances which have lately occurred in the region of the Upper Mekong.’...
Letter has been charred with some loss, though not of text.
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.'
Letter from William James Embery, China Inland Mission, Tali-fu [Dali], Tengyueh via Bhamo, Upper Burma, to Isaac Bayley Balfour, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, dated 17 August 1905.
Embery, the Missionary based at the China Inland Mission at Dali writes to report that George Forrest is alive and hopes to reach the mission on 21st [August].
"Dear Sir, It is a very great joy to me to have to communicate to you the news I have to tell, rather than the news we feared would have to be sent to you. Doubtless you are aware that the district of Tsekou in which Mr. George Forrest has been "collecting" lately, has been in a disturbed state for some time. Things have reached a crisis and reports (reckoned upon as reliable) have been current here for several days that our friend Mr. Forrest, with the French Catholic priests, had all been massacred. Our hearts have indeed been sad, but today we received a letter from Mr. Forrest telling us that he was on his way to us here and hopes to arrive about the 21st inst. He says he escaped after a fearful struggle and experience lasting for 21 days, being hunted like a mad dog for 9 days on the hills, suffering terrible privation, then fell in with some friendly people who brought him on his way for quite a distance. Two of the French priests he says have been massacred, and it is indeed a marvel that he himself escaped. He wished me to communicate the news to you by first mail. Rest assured we will look after him well when he gets here and we thank God for thus marvellously delivering him. Mr. Forrest will be writing you himself later, but in the meantime we rejoice with you over today's good news. Believe me, Yours sincerely W.J. Embery
Letter appears to be similar to a carbon copy and is on very thin paper which has crumpled along the left hand side, has water staining and also some charring, leading to loss of paper and some text.