[printed notepaper:]
Exotic Nursery,
Kings Road, Chelsea.

31^st May

Sir

I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your favour and have to express my regret, that the Pultenæa you selected was not sent. I must beg you to believe the substitution of another plant, to have been a perfectly inadvertent act as it is my order, that my customers shall always have the identical plants they select. Relative to the Swainsonia, I beg to say that should the plant not recover, I shall be happy to replace it, upon the first opportunity – and with my best thanks

I remain Sir Y^r obedt Servt
James Veitch Jr

H. F. Talbot Esq^re
Laycock Abbey
Chippenam
[added by WHFT in upper left corner;]
Veitch.