* * * * *

“I send two empty glazed cases for plants:  when these reach you, fill them with moist earth and plant in them ripe fresh seeds of the following palms * * * You need not wait until you have obtained all, but such only as you can get at once; but remember when you have got ripe seeds of any kind to sow them in the case.  Take care the earth is not too wet.  The seeds you sent, sown in an open box, came up, and we have now six or seven live Ebools, etc.

“Send me up some ripe fruits and seeds of the Epoo, those you sent were not ripe.  If you can get any ripe ones, also sow some with the palm seeds.”

* * * * *

Calcutta:  March 26th, 1844.

“When you prepare Rotangs do not cut off the stalk of the leaf close to the stem, but six inches from it, and do not cut off the thorns, but tie all up in mats or gunny bags:  at the same time send the leaves of each dried in paper like other plants and flowers, all with names written plainly in English and Malay.

“Send live plants according as you receive boxes for them.”

* * * * *

“Whenever you find ripe fruits or seeds, dry them in the sun, and then send them to the Post Office for despatch in paper bags.  Sow palm seeds in open boxes as you did before, the Ebool having come up.”

* * * * *

January 14_th_, 1844.

“The plants dried and living have been received, and do you great credit.  The live plants particularly are in excellent order.  I have sent two more cases, when they reach you, fill them as you have done before, and despatch them to me.  I send some cards on which you can write the names plainly, and tie them on the specimens.  I will also send you a pocket English Dictionary, and make you a present of the English and Portuguese one.”

PRIVATE JOURNALS OF WM. GRIFFITH, F.L.S.

CHAPTER I.

When proceeding with the Assam Deputation for the Examination of the Tea Plant.

September, 1835.—­We arrived at Pubna on the 9th of September, and left it on the following morning, pursuing the course of the Pubna “Karee,” which is exceedingly tortuous and of about an average width of 100 yards.  On the evening of the 10th, we halted in the same river near its termination.  This morning we reached the “Beera,” into which the Pubna Karee enters, and which at the mouth presents a vast expanse of water.  Among the jheels which occur on every side, we noticed in abundance the Tamarix dioica.  About noon we entered a narrow river, and in the evening a very narrow creek in which in two places we experienced a great difficulty in getting the boats along.  We noticed Alpinia allughas, Nymphaea pubescens, Oxystelma esculentum, Apluda aristata, in abundance.  Up to this period the two most conspicuous grasses continue to be Saccharum spontaneum, and Andropogon muricatus.