F.L.S., I.M.S., (Retd.) very kindly lent the paintings already referred to above to the exhibition.
But still I was unable to secure illustrations of about 300 Indian Medicinal Plants for the Exhibition. I wrote to the Superintendent, Royal Botanical Garden, Shibpur, Calcutta, if he would kindly lend the drawings of those plants from the Herbarium in his charge. In his letter dated 24th May, 1910, he wrote:—
"I regret that I cannot see my way to let you have a loan of the original drawings of any plants, as it is a strict rule in all botanical institutions that original drawings are not allowed to go out of the building for any purpose, as in the event of loss or damage they could not possibly be replaced. I should however be quite prepared to have exact copies made of such drawings as may be of interest to you at the expense of the Exhibition. For large full size drawings coloured, the rate for copying including paper would be Rs. 5-8-0 each."
About this time, I made the acquaintance of Professor Bhim Chandra Chatterji, B.A., B Sc, then of the Bengal Technical Institute, Calcutta. I was told that he had collected materials and illustrations of plants of Hindu Materia Medica, as he was preparing a work on that subject. So I wrote to him to exhibit his collection at the Exhibition. He came to Allahabad to see me. On showing him the letter of the Superintendent, Shibpur Garden, he said he would take photos of those plants and their drawings which would cost less than one-fifth of the estimate given in the letter referred to above.
I went to Calcutta and taking Professor Bhim Chandra Chatterji introduced him to the Superintendent, who very kindly afforded him every facility to take photos of plants and of their drawings. But, unfortunately, Professor Bhim Chandra Chatterji was not successful with his photographs. He then arranged with the Shibpur artists to copy the drawings of plants preserved in the Herbarium there at very favourable terms.
The late lamented Mr. G. R. Murray, I.C.S., who was Secretary of the United Provinces Exhibition, took great interest in the Indigenous Drugs Court and did all that lay in his power to make it a success. He got his committee to sanction the sum necessary to procure copies of drawings of the plants. After
