Part 251 - Seed collecting at Main Thang and preparations for HH's visit

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SUMMARY:
The diarist describes difficult seed and bulb collection of taxa 552, 553 (Nephelium lancifolium), and 554 on sheer cliffs near Main Thang, with Danong retrieving a few bulbs and pods. Preparations for HH's visit are widespread, with huts, rice, and livestock being assembled, and concerns raised about how HH will finance trips and use forestry resources, noting Bhutanese training at the Forest Department in Dehra Dun and Tobgye's efforts.

CONTENT:
S sends Kuntip to Main Thang to collect seeds Prim. eburnea

We could however not find one seed of 554, and although there were lots of seed pods of 552, most of them were last year's. However we collected about 30 heads. It grows in the most impossible places, on sheer cliff, just hanging on to 1/2" of moss, which is now absolutely dried up. I took a few of the plants of both 552 and 554. The lily (Nephelium lancifolium (553)) was even harder to get. We could see it nowhere at first, but eventually saw a few. Danong with great difficulty got three bulbs and two seed pods. A few others were seen, but we could not possibly reach them without a rope.

Preparations are everywhere in evidence for HH's visit. Huts are being put up for his men, rice is pouring in from all quarters, and the local official has 20 sheep and 6 pigs all ready as a present. What HH is going to do with all this stuff I can't imagine. And how he is going to pay for his trip is also difficult to see. This one may be alright, but this will lead to more, and the country cannot stand more, unless HH does something to enrich it. His easiest way is probably through his forests. Tobgye started off well by getting some Bhutanese trained in the Forest Dept at Dehra Dun. But HH makes no use of them. He must have in some British