Record

RefNoMM/6/64
LevelItem
TitleDraft letter from Sir Joseph Banks to Sir James Bland Burgess, Foreign Office
Date4 July 1795
DescriptionEnclosing a list of the plants embarked on the 'Venus' as a present from the King to the Grand Duchess of all the Russias, giving minute directions as to their reception by Sir Charles Whitworth (British Minister in St Petersburg).

Many of the plants are from specimens brought by Bligh from Otaheite, and the New Zealand Flax is from stock obtained there by Banks in 1769. Other rarities being gifted are 'Sterlitzia regianae', one of which was purchased from Holland in 1768 for £40, 'Phormium tenax', 'Brucea ferruginea', drawings and engravings of plants and glasshouses at Kew.

Georg Noe, a German gardener, accompanied the plants at a salary of 2 guineas a week.
Extent6 sides
FormatManuscript
AccessStatusOpen
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA8116Banks; Sir; Joseph (1744 - 1820); naturalist1744 - 1820
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