Typed transcript of Forrest’s letters and notes.
- Pages 1-28 describe Forrest's journey from Bhamo to Teng Yueh and corresponds closely with a handwritten letter to his fiancée Clementina Traill [GB 235 FRG/1/1/2].
Pages 29-94 contain ‘extractions’ from letters written to Mrs Forrest [either his mother, or Clementina, as she would likely have been Mrs Forrest at the time the letters were transcribed], Edinburgh, from Yunnan and Tibet [1904]-1905. These deal more with descriptions of the country and people rather than botanical matters. The copy letters, which have been typed out of order, are detailed as follows:
-
Pages 29-42. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest from China Inland Mission, Talifu, 24 March 1905. Describes the valley from Hsia Kuan to Shang Kuan, and gives detailed description of Tali [Dali], its chiefs, main buildings and commerce.
-
Pages 43-53. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest from China Inland Mission, Talifu, 28 March 1905. Gives further detailed information about Tali. Description of marble quarrying, trades, city buildings, female foot binding, clothing, food, education and customs.
-
Pages 54-63. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, November 1904. Describes journey from Tali to Chong Ku on the Chung Tien plateau. ‘I left Tali on the 14th with the intention of going to Lichiang, and from there up to the top of the great Yangtse bend to work the base of the glacier there.’ Includes manuscript sketch of a kitchen or family room of a Tibetan house in which he spent two nights. Detailed description of the house and its use by the Tibetans in winter.
-
Pages 64-67. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, November/December 1904. Describes journey from Chung Tien back to Tali, with itinerary.
-
Pages 68-87. G. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, October 1904. Describes a 53-day journey from Tali north into Tibet, covering around 900 miles. Itinerary: Tali, Sha Kai, Shang Ying-pu, Tai Ho Tsun, Sung Kwei, Hoching, Chi Ho, Lichiang, Pei Sha, La Shi Pa, Mu Pi Wan, Na Le, Hsia So Yi, Ke Lo Wan, Mao Niu Chang, Hsia Chung Tien, Yong Ku, Chung Tien, Tang Tien, Chiao Tou, Pung Tzu-la, Kari Pass, Shi zo, Hsia zo, Shih Pa, Yeh Chih, Ba Ti, Tse Kou, Ba Ti, and again Yeh Chih, Ta Chiao, Hsiao Wei Hsi, Ka Ka, Wei Hsia, Lu Tien, Chu Tien, Tzu Ko, Shih Ku, Chia Ho, Chien Chuan-sho, Jiu Kai, Teng Chuan-sho and back to Tali.
-
Pages 88-94. g. Forrest to Mrs Forrest, from Mission Apostolique, Tsekou, Tibet, 28 April 1905. Describes journey from Talifu going north by Chien Chuan and ending at Tsekou. Gives news of a revolt among the lamas in the north, ‘Tsekou is practically in a state of siege.’
Plants referenced:
Bamboo (pp.1,5); Mango (p.1); Orchid (p.6); Rice (pp. 3,16, 20); Teak (p.1)
Cotton (p.41)
Apricot (p.52); Bean (p.52); Cabbage (p.52); Carrot (p.52); Fig (p.52); Filbert (p.52); Gladitschia (p.53); Grape (p.53); Lemon (p.52); Mandarin orange (p.52); Pea (p.52); Peach (p.52); Pear (p.52); Persimmon (p.52); Pomegranate (p.52); Potato (p.52); Rice (p.52); Sapindus (p.53); Turnip (p.52); Walnut (pp.44, 52)
Allium (p.56); Azalea (pp.55, 56, 60); Gentian (pp.55, 56, 60); Lychnis (p.56); Lily (p.58); Paeonia (p.56); Pine (pp.54, 55, 56); Primula (p.60); Rhododendron (pp.55, 56, 60); Saxifrage (pp.56, 57, 60); Senecio (p.57)
Pine (p.66)
Azalea (pp. 77, 82, 85); Carduus (p.77); Clematis (p.80); Fritillaria (p.76); Gentian (pp.76, 77, 85, 87); Lily (p.85); Pine (pp.76, 77); Polygonum (p.77); Primula (pp.76, 82, 85, 86); Rhododendron (pp.77,82, 85); Rice (p.70); Saxifrage (pp.76, 77)
Pine (pp.90, 91)
A set of seven incomplete letters from George Forrest to his fiancee Clementina Traill that was donated to RBGE by Forrest's family, likely via their son Eric Forrest.
•1 box of miscellaneous papers and references
•1 box of miscellaneous papers from the School of Rural Economy Establishment (1893-1902)
•1 box of miscellaneous papers from the School of Rural Economy Classes (1891-1897)
Temporary Summary (M.R.);
3 boxes
Box 1 of 3
• GB 235 UOE/1 Papers and correspondence, including statistics on the Botanical Class in the University of Edinburgh, 1777–1859 and 1860–1871, 2 pp. and ms. in J.H. Balfour’s hand, 4 pp.; request for Prof Balfour to prepare questions for a botany exam, 1 p., 1892; typescript copy of Town Council Proceedings on Dr Balfour’s proposal for the University Herbarium, 1 p., 1849; typescript, photocopies, and ms. papers and correspondence on the Museum of the University and on university bursaries, 1874–1946.
• GB 235 UOE/2 Papers and correspondence on university teaching staff appointments, financial records (e.g., class expenses, the Fee Fund), and research facilities. Includes reprints of course syllabuses for Edinburgh University and Edinburgh University Lecture-Extension Association; correspondence with I. B. Balfour (originals in Balfour, I. Bayley correspondence), 1879–1922.
• GB 235 UOE/3 Papers, including reprint of “Interlocutor and Opinion by Lord Wellwood … against The University of Edinburgh” (the Presbytery of Edinburgh sought to recover from the university 3 volumes that were said to contain the original records of the Presbytery between 1586 and 1603), 1890; “Address to the Students of Medicine,” 1780(?); “Record of Students Who Studied in the Edinburgh University Department of Agriculture (1885–86 to 1900–01), 1902.
• GB 235 UOE/4 Abstracts of reports on University Library, 1906–1911, 5 printed reports; general regulations regarding class or departmental libraries, 1911; typescript list of books bequeathed by Captain R. Chapman Davie to the university, 1919. [removed from here in March 2022, and placed with Chapman Davie's papers as they include correspondence relating to the bequest and an excerpt of his will.]
• GB 235 UOE/5 Correspondence on the teaching of botany to women, typescript and ms., 1892–1906, including copies of letters to I. B. Balfour and photocopy of one letter (in French) to J. H. Balfour from V. Duray (1869). Correspondents include J. Kirkpatrick, A. Crum Brown, Prof Simpson, Louisa Stevenson.
• GB 235 UOE/6 Correspondence regarding the Scottish Arboricultural Society and the teaching of forestry in the university, typescript and ms., 1890–1920.
Box 2 of 3
Papers and correspondence regarding the establishment of the School of Rural Economy (founded 1894).
• GB 235 UOE/7 Ms. correspondence with I. B. Balfour, 1894. Correspondents include A. Mackenzie and Robert Laird, Scottish Horticultural Association; ms. of class list for Horticulture Class, 1 p., 1895; typescript of prizes awarded by Scottish Horticultural Association, 1 p., 1895; Syllabus for course of lectures on the Vegetable Garden, 1893; “Constitution and Bye-Laws, Syllabus for Session 1896 and 19th Annual Report,” Trans. Scottish Horticultural Association, 73 pp., Edinburgh, 1896; “Royal (Dick) Veterinary College Prospectus”, 103 pp., 1893–94.
• GB 235 UOE/8 Ms. and typescript correspondence with I. B. Balfour, 1893–1894. Correspondents include Prof Taylor, Sir William Turner, R. Stewart McDougall, James Macdonald, A. P. Aitken, and Mackenzie and Moncur (Hothouse Builders); typescript “Report to the Board of Agriculture for the Session 1894–95,” 6 pp., 1893–1895; ms., James Macdonald’s scheme for day and evening agricultural classes; misc. ads for lecture series, 5 pp., 1895; misc. drafts of proposed syllabus and curriculum schemes, 6 pp.
• GB 235 UOE/9 Correspondence, including ms. letter from the Subeditor, Journal of Horticulture, to I.B. Balfour, 1902; typescript memorandum, 7 pp., 1895; printed drafts with ms. annotations regarding curricula for day and evening classes, 1895–1896.
Box 3 of 3
Papers and correspondence regarding the establishment of the School of Rural Economy.
• GB 235 UOE/10 Papers and correspondence regarding vacation courses in agriculture for schoolmasters, 1891–1895. Includes reprints and typescript drafts of memorandums with ms. annotations by Professor Robert Wallace; ms., typescript, and copies of correspondence, 1894–1895. Correspondents include I. B. Balfour, Robert Wallace, and James Macdonald; printed prospectuses and syllabuses of classes for students of agriculture, 1885–1891.
• GB 235 UOE/11 Papers and correspondence, 1894–1896. Ms. and copies of correspondence between I. B. Balfour and James Macdonald; printed notices: lectures, examinations, regulations, prospectus and syllabus; ms. and typescript class lists and examination results; ms. financial records, 1896.
• GB 235 UOE/12 Papers and correspondence regarding vacation courses in agriculture for schoolmasters, 1896–1897. Ms. and copies of correspondence between I. B. Balfour, R. Stewart McDougall, and Robert Wallace; printed time-tables of vacation classes, copies of examination papers; typescript report on vacation classes, 1897.
Name access points:
Isaac Bayley Balfour
John Hutton Balfour
A. Crum Brown
J. Kirkpatrick,
Robert Laird
James Macdonald
A. Mackenzie
R. Stewart McDougall
The Presbytery of Edinburgh (Church of Scotland)
Royal (Dick) Veterinary College
Scottish Arboricultural Society
Scottish Horticultural Association
Prof. Simpson
Louisa Stevenson
Prof. Taylor
Sir William Turner
Robert Wallace
•Copy of ‘Quasi cursores; portraits of the high officers and professors of the University of Edinburgh at its tercentenary festival, drawn and etched by William Hole’ (1884)
Sans titre