[D8828ADG1], Letter from James Ricalton to Alfred Ord Tate, November 8th, 1888
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Title
[D8828ADG1], Letter from James Ricalton to Alfred Ord Tate, November 8th, 1888
Editor's Notes
"I wrote you last from Bangalore, India. Since that time I have tested all the bamboos of the southwest coast bamboos of [unclear] Mencora and in short all varieties peculiar to southern India. Next I went to Bombay, but Bombay and being a bamboo [unclear], there being scarcely a clump within a hundred miles. I went north via the Raffutarra Province where I found some bamboos, but similar to those of the south. ### The Forestry Department-had of [unclear] the Himalayas as a place where fine bamboo could be found. I went north to [unclear] which I reached by a hundred miles of 'Tonga' (a kind of cont) travel, there from [unclear] I walked 24 miles to the valley of the [unclear] where I found fine looking bamboos, but they possess no qualities. From [unclear] on a [unclear] of the Himalayas I walked back 40 miles to the plains below, whence I proceeded to Delhi. Delhi is not a bamboo [unclear] neither are [unclear] Benores or Potna. I stopped at all these places and could find none until I got within about 100 miles of Calcutta where the whole [unclear] becomes an endless bamboo jungle. Not many kinds, however, the principals species being confined to three viz: 'Bamboo [unclear', 'Babusa Boleooa' + 'Bamboo a Lfinoca [?]'. The first two have fair qualities. I send samples of these. At the long extensive Balanced borders of Calcutta they gave me permission to cut a tree of every kind of bamboo in the Garden there being some variety from Burmoh, China and Java. From Calcutta I went a far to the Himalayas, up between Napal and Bhotan where I found some rare bamboos, one large kind 7 inches in Diameter having good qualities. Will send sample as soon as dry. I returned from the Himalayas via [unclear] down the Brahmo bamboo will send sample from Dhubri + Goalfara in Assam. I reached Rangoon on Nov. 6 am collecting samples in the neighborhood of Rangoon. The Conservator of Forests here has kindly offered to send his agents in different parts of Burmah for samples of the 30 different species peculiar of the country. Of course I have instructed him to secure samples from the thickest wood of the oldest trees etc. etc. Meantime I will proceed to Mandelay to see what may be found in Upper Burmah. The Post office regulations do not permit article as sample packets to be longer than 8 inches: so I must send by parcel post which extends to same. You have not written me any instructions, so I have gone on to the best of my ability to those parts where I would be most likely to find all the different kinds. Letters or telegrams sent to Bombay in the past-would always have formed one, as I left orders there [unclear] have all forwarded to me at different points. Of [unclear] Jan. 1st send telegrams to Lingafore." Yours truly, James Ricalton
Author
Recipient
Mentioned
Date
1888-11-08
Type
Folder/Volume ID
D8828-F
Microfilm ID
122:941
Document ID
D8828ADG1
Publisher
Thomas A. Edison Papers, School of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University