[[1]] ROYAL GARDENS KEW Oct[ober] 4/[18]85 Dear [Asa] Gray You must keep the Berardia of ii.474, -- you will find that Baillon has prepared Debarara for the other -- see Bull[etin Mensuel de la]. Soc[iété]. Lin[éenne]. Paris No 35 p. 279. I enclose notes of Oliver's. I am getting quite uneasy about "Flora of Brit[ish]. India". [[2]] I get on so slow & have so many distractions. This puts retirement more than ever into my head, -- I am now at Machilus, such a mess, & muddle with Phoebe. I have just done Cinnamomum. I cannot cull (following Bentham's suggestion) reduce it to 10 -- I make 23 India species. 5 or 6 bad but can't reduce them without [[3]] breaking up the arrangements. I have really now no object in retaining the Directorship with all its expenses & responsibilities & I have no notion of hanging on as long as possible, only to be turned into the paddock when too old to enjoy it; or perhaps even to nibble the grass! I have therefore made up my mind to the step of retirement. There are many other reasons. Dyer has most loyally carried out your considerate suggestion that he should take the official duties [[4]] & leave me to the Scientifics -- but I can see that he chafes under it & it produces many little inconveniences, & cross purposes. In several matters too of administration we fundamentally differ, & as we must now rearrange reorganise the working of the whole (for Smith must be got rid of) either his or my plan must be followed. I should, now that the whole cultivation is taken out of Smith's hands, replace him by a bailiff of the grounds with charge of stores, & supervision of foremen, patrol constables & labourers, accounts &c &c &c -- at say £150 or £200 (Smith had £300). [[5]] Whereas Dyer would work all with two foremen independent of each other (who would fight like cat & dog & lead the Director an impossible life.) The Board would however arrange all this -- all I want is to be free of the responsibility of either course. Dyer wants me to remain because he does not want the bother & Expense of the Kew House as I keep it up -- Perhaps the best way would be to give the Director an allowance instead of the house & turn my house into an office [[6]] the want of which is an intolerable grievance to Dyer & the source of irritation that exceeds belief. I find I can get to the Herbarium from Camp just as well as Bentham did from Kew. Willy would take a little house at Kew & keep a bed--room for us in it. I should of course make him an allowance. Altogether I should lose £400 a year by retiring, but I should save all the expense of two houses, get on with [[7]] paging books, & above all be free. My wife approves of it all. We shall I expect be here all or most of winter, as the Symonds will come back & join us in House Keeping & we are both wife & I getting fond of the place & our neighbours. Whereas Kew gets less & less attractive. As all this is at present in nubibus please do not [[8]] allude to it -- in letters to Kew. Which must often be opened in my absence. I shall however be glad indeed of your opinion addressed JDH. The Camp. Sunningdale England. Mrs Rothry has been dangerously ill with threating[sic] of ovarian mischief -- but is temporarily at any rate better, I am glad to say. With united love to Mrs Gray. Y[ou]rs J.D. Hooker [signature] Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study electronic image(s) of this document where possible.