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.

Letter from A. Cameron, The Co-operative Bees Ltd, Wapping Buildings, Cornhill, Liverpool, to Henry Hastings Esq., Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, dated 09 April 1906.
A. Cameron, the Manager at Bees Nursery, writes to regret that he is unable to supply so many of the items ordered as Bees Ltd. have been overwhelmed by the demands of collectors. He offers to establish a system of exchange with RBGE.
Plants referenced: Meconopsis; Primula
Letter has been fire damaged with some loss, including of text.

Letter from George Forrest, Lichiang fu [Lijiang], to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour M.D., 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 08 May 1906.
Forrest writes enclosing a photograph of an orchid growing at 8-9,000 feet in the Tsan Shan [Cang Shan] range. He fears the north is closed to him for this year. Mandarin Li, prefect of Lichiangfu, who was in charge of operations in the Mekong valley has been ‘degraded’, his crime being pro-Europeanism and being too active in the execution of participants in the rebellion. Li has been recalled to Yunnanfu [Kunming] to answer charges and may lose his head. Since his withdrawal, Mekong valley has returned to its old state of chaos and reports of the quelling of disturbances in the north are false. The murderers of Pere Dubernard and Pere Bourdonnec remain unpunished, although in Chinese custody. ‘It is just the old story over again, the officials are at their usual game of “janging” and “squeezing” and, where a prisoner can pay for his life, no matter what his crime has been, he escapes.’ Forrest has received details of the deaths of Dubernard and Bourdonnec, too gruesome to relate. Missionaries have put in a claim for indemnity for their losses but it has not yet been paid. Forrest’s own claim has been partly paid, once he reduced the claim to avoid months of haggling. He deems it too risky to return to the Mekong-Salwin divide and has decided to spend the whole season in the [Yangtze] bend. He intends to travel south to Talifu [Dali] in October or November and spend two months arranging his collection before returning home in January or February 1907. Forrest asks if there is such a species as Primula Gibsoni and requests a description of Primula Wilsoni.
Plants referenced: Jasmine; Orchid; Primula
Letter badly fire damaged with some loss, including of text.

Copy letter from Isaac Bayley Balfour, Edinburgh, to A.K. Bulley, Ness, dated 20 August 1906.
Balfour writes to explain his reasons for rejecting a proposal by The Co-operative Bees Ltd. for a system of plant exchange. Balfour prefers that the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh be treated as a purchasing customer. He will send Meconopsis bella and Primula reidii once the former has flowered.
Plants referenced: Meconopsis; Primula
Letter fire damaged and paper is very brittle; handle with care.

Letter from George Forrest, China Inland Mission, Talifu [Dali], to Professor Isaac Bayley Balfour M.D., 'Regius Keeper', Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, dated 25 September 1906.
Forrest writes enclosing three prints of a species of primula discovered on the Lichiang [Lijiang] range [Yulong Xue Shan], with detailed description of the plant. Photograph IV is of a plant which he cannot place, and V is of a species of cypripedium. Gives detailed descriptions of both. Forrest also encloses some small specimens of primula, saxifrage and delphinium. This season he has secured from 20-30 species of both saxifrage and primula. ‘I could write much on the flowers I have seen and collected this season but I am so weak through my prolonged illness, that I have neither the heart nor the strength to do so. Besides it is such a long time since I received a letter from you, 10 months, that I am led to infer you have lost all interest in my wanderings and collecting, therefore you will pardon me if I make this my last communication before my departure for home.’
Plants referenced: Cypripedium; Delphinium; Pine; Primula; Saxifrage
Photographs referenced: I. Group of primula –Lichiang range; II. Flowering head of primula; III. Mass of primula plants in situ; IV. Unidentified plant; V. Cypripedium?
Letter has been badly fire damaged with some loss, including of text; as it is a large folded letter, there is a photocopy in the binder alongside which should be used to enable reading the text inside.

•Correspondence dated 1912 -1913 on “Primula”, filed with subject material under “Primula”, Box 1 in main index

• GB 235 JJT/1: Index to Botanical References & Publications – Foolscap Book “Army Book 72”: alphabetical indexed ledger, ms. entries and ms. and typescript loose sheets (includes ms. notes to RK, William Wright Smith, on botanical references, and typescript note from W. W. Smith, 1931–1937,) 1927. Index includes lists of bibliographic references to monographs and scholarly journals, with 6 pp. listing County Reports of Scotland (1794 to 1814) and England (1794 to 1815).
• GB 235 JJT/2: “Index to Rhododendrons & Primulas”: alphabetical indexed ledger, ms. entries and ms. and typescript loose sheets (includes misc. plant notes, typescript List of Works on Primulas, and ms. list of rhododendrons), 1923.
• GB 235 JJT/3: “Index to Scottish Botanists” in “The Portland Letter File”: alphabetical indexed ledger, with ms. loose sheets, Note inserted in file: “It is quite possible that this was compiled by Mr J T Johnstone, RBG Librarian. DMH [Douglas Henderson], 1973.”

Above material, apparently prepared and used as personal reference source by J. T. Johnston, Librarian of RBGE 1912-46 and are filed under “Johnston, J.T. (Librarian)” – in individual box

•Correspondence, dated 1912-1913 on Primula filed with subject material under “Primula” (Box 1) in main index.

This collection consists of material created and gathered from the expeditions of F. Ludlow and G. Sherriff, thought their expeditions of Bhutan and Tibet during 1933-1949.

The collection consists of 5 sub-series: plant documents, expedition documents, diaries, correspondence and visual material.

[1] This series consists of a variety of material which includes plant and seed lists from their expedition with a large focus on Primula, Meconopsis and Rhododendrons, as well as publications gathered by Ludlow and Sherriff which cover their shared interest in the Himalayan region and it's flora and fauna. There is also a garden register donated by the Knox Finlay family detailing the progress of plants/seeds in their gardens acquired from various expeditions including Ludlow and Sherriff's between 1951-52.

[2] This series consists of a variety of expedition documents ranging from itineraries and maps to administration lists and passports.

[3] This series consists of originals and photocopies of the diaries of Sherriff and Ludlow during their expeditions.

[4] This series consists of a variety of correspondence from and to Sherriff and Ludlow over the course of their expeditions.

[5] This series consists of a variety of material including: photographic material, films and videos. Photographic material ranges from prints and negatives taken by Sherriff and Ludlow to prints of digital images taken as exhibition documentation in 2014. The films are..... There have been dvd surrogates made of the films to ensure continued accessibility.