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[Page 3]
(Duplicate)
Calcutta 3rd May 1811
Cones Rice Serpentine [Ward?] [note by Banks]
My Dear Sir,
These few lines I intend to accompany some seeds that have been gathered since the beginning of March, when the last parcel, by the Georgiana was put up. Amongst them are come cones of my long leaved pine, a parcel of wild rice, or rather Paddy, which is common on the borders of fresh water lakes in many parts of India, & from this, I think, all our cultivated varieties have sprung. You may find some use for it. The african Institution may wish to try if it will produce any thing beneficial in Africa. I did not send any of it to the Secretary with the other seeds, as it was only received a few days ago, from my venerable correspondent Mr Smith at Silhet. [Sylhet] I also intend to send you a bundle of sticks, along with the seeds, part of some which the same gentleman sent me when he sent the Paddy. The two serpentine pieces are particularly curious, they are from a Bauhinia, Naga-mu-valli of the Hortus malabaricus, 8.t.30.& 31. as yet I have only seen the leaves, and such pieces as are in your bundle, but expect soon to get plants. It seems difficult to penetrate so far into the Garrow Hills, where the plant grows, not only on account of Tigers, but also on account of the still more savage (human) inhabitants. such pieces are carried about by the Sonnyasis etc itinerant mendicants, and others as a charm to keep away serpents. I mean to call this species of Bauhinia serpentina or some such name and assign the old trivial name, scandens , to Rumphius's Folium lingua. Herb. amb 5.t.1.for they are no doubt different. I have now got several fine plants of our new caoutchoue, it will be a most beautiful new species of Ficus I think, but still know nothing more of it than what our young
plants