Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Title

Letter from Theodor Hartweg to the secretary of Horticultural Society [George Bentham], 21 Regent Street, London

Record type

Archive

Original Reference

RHS/Col/7/1/1/22

Date

18 Mar 1838

Scope & content

Written from Santa Barbara [Santa Barbara, Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 22 May 1838'). The letter includes an impression of an opened seal.

Letter No 16

He left Zacatecas [Mexico] on 26 Feb; he has found the neighbourhood of Tula [Mexico] and Santa Barbara more productive than the 'sterile' hills of Zacatecas; the road to San Luis [Mexico] crosses a large plain, where at this time of year only Opuntia, a few 'stunted' Prosopis dulcis [Prosopis caldenia or Prosopis laevigata], and Mahonia trifoliata [identification unresolved as at Oct 2018] are to be found; the latter, which cover large tracts of land approaching San Luis, are the only flowering plants; the country looks more prosperous near Tula, the hills are covered with trees as the traveller gradually approaches the tierra caliente ['hot land' in Spanish; region in southern Mexico comprising parts of the states of Michoacan, Guerrero and Mexico]; here he intended to spend a few weeks collecting; as the area was at the same elevation as Zacuapan [Zacualpan, Mexico], he expected to find a similar abundance of vegetation and a good crop of epiphytes, but the atmosphere is drier and therefore less favourable for them; as yet, he has only met with eleven kinds which, 'being all new, will prove very acceptable to the Society'; he has found another new species of Mahonia resembling aquifolium [Berberis aquifolium] with whitish flowers, but was not able to procure seeds of this or the trifoliata; he attaches a copy of this month's expenses

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Feb-16 Mar 1838 comprise 'monthly allowance' $50, 'wages of mozo [servant]' $18, 'keeping of horses & 1 mule' $15. Written from Santa Barbara [Santa Barbara, Mexico]

Postmarked ('London 22 May 1838'). The letter includes an impression of an opened seal.

Letter No 16

He left Zacatecas [Mexico] on 26 Feb; he has found the neighbourhood of Tula [Mexico] and Santa Barbara more productive than the 'sterile' hills of Zacatecas; the road to San Luis [Mexico] crosses a large plain, where at this time of year only Opuntia, a few 'stunted' Prosopis dulcis [Prosopis caldenia or Prosopis laevigata], and Mahonia trifoliata [identification unresolved as at Oct 2018] are to be found; the latter, which cover large tracts of land approaching San Luis, are the only flowering plants; the country looks more prosperous near Tula, the hills are covered with trees as the traveller gradually approaches the tierra caliente ['hot land' in Spanish; region in southern Mexico comprising parts of the states of Michoacan, Guerrero and Mexico]; here he intended to spend a few weeks collecting; as the area was at the same elevation as Zacuapan [Zacualpan, Mexico], he expected to find a similar abundance of vegetation and a good crop of epiphytes, but the atmosphere is drier and therefore less favourable for them; as yet, he has only met with eleven kinds which, 'being all new, will prove very acceptable to the Society'; he has found another new species of Mahonia resembling aquifolium [Berberis aquifolium] with whitish flowers, but was not able to procure seeds of this or the trifoliata; he attaches a copy of this month's expenses

Hartweg's accounts for 17 Feb-16 Mar 1838 comprise 'monthly allowance' $50, 'wages of mozo [servant]' $18, 'keeping of horses & 1 mule' $15

Level

Item

Extent

4 page letter (1 sheet)

Is part of

RHS archive: plant collector papers

Repository

Royal Horticultural Society Lindley Library

Copyright

Royal Horticultural Society

Credit Line

RHS Lindley Collections

Usage terms

Non-commercial use with attribution permitted (CC BY-NC 4.0)