31 Sackville S^{t <1>}
27^th Feb. 1836

Dear Sir

I enclose a good specimen of Veronica decussata in fruit, from the garden of the Hon^ble W^m Strangways ^<2> at Abbotsbury, ^<3> Dorset.

Could you give me any bulbs of Cooperia Drummondii. I could have wished the name of Drummondia to have been given to that pretty plant, in memory of its discoverer, ^<4> but I suppose that could not be done.

Any curious seeds you could send me would be welcome in my botanic garden.

Last year I had some good S. Europe plants there of my own collecting, as the Coris Monspeliensis, Campanula Spicata, Euphrasia lutea [illegible], but the severe winter has put an end to them. Pray mention how much I am indebted to you for Texas plants ^<5> & where I shall pay the servant in London. Can you recommend me at present any person as a good gardener ^<6> or undergardener, I should like him to be fond of plants.

Believe me Yours very truly
H. F. Talbot.

P.S. You can enclose to the
Hn^ble W. Strangways
Foreign Office
Downing S^{t <7>}

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Notes:

1. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.

2. William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways, 4^th Earl of Ilchester (1795–1865), botanist, art collector & diplomat.

3. Abbotsbury, Dorset: home of William Thomas Horner Fox Strangways.

4. Thomas Drummond (1793-1835), Scottish botanical collector; died in Cuba in early March 1835. [See Doc. No: 00262 for Hooker’s comments on Drummondia].

5. Hooker’s reply is Doc. No: 00262.

6. Cornelius Fitzsimmons left Lacock in February [see Doc. No: 03207] after seven years [see Doc. No: 01918]. See Doc. No: 00262 for Hooker’ response.

7. The Foreign Office was in Downing Street 1793–1861.