[[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]
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