"I have been told that the oldest written document based on a scientific survey of plants of Orissa was written in 1725 by a Frenchman called Nicolas L` Empereur," Ramesh told French Ambassador Jerome Bonnafont in a letter, a copy of which was available here.
The manuscript is available in the Central Library Manuscript Collections at Natural History Museum, Paris, Ramesh said in the letter.
Requesting Jerom to help make available a digital copy of the manuscript, Ramesh said the "expenses in this regard will be borne by us."
The Union minister also sent a copy of the letter to Ranjam Mathai, the Indian ambassodar in Paris.
Jairam, during his visit here on June 1, was informed about the existence of an old document on scientific survey of plants of Orissa at the Paris museum, the sources said.