Mount Edgcumbe <1>
Devonport.
16th June 1875
My dear Henry
Many thanks for your letter.
I write in a hurry today, just to enclose a small specimen of the flowers of the Chamærops excelsa, the Hill Palm of China I believe.
There are 2 magnificent Specimens in square tubs, that live in the Orangerie in the winter & are put out in the Italian garden with the orange trees in Summer, & besides these, 2 others much younger, that are in the open ground in the English Garden, where they have lived several years. The latter are about 8 ft high.
All four Palms are in splendid bloom this year – with 4 or 5 branches, dividing again into 3, & laden with these small yellow blossoms. They look very handsome. The Gardener is going to pack up this evening, several cuttings of the Abutilon – there is one a pure white – the others are a pale shade of mauve. All the trees, of which there are many, were raised from seed abt 7 years ago – from a single plant in the garden. –
Ernestine <2> went to London today by the ½ p. 8 train – so as to be in time for the Queen’s <3> Ball tonight.
I go tomorrow to Cotehele, <4> where I have much to do.
Yr affte Sister
Caroline
The Gardener tells me there is a large shrub of that Crimson Beaufortia,<5> which has been out one winter & summer. I believe your cuttings will be sent this evg.
Notes:
1. Mt Edgecumbe, near Plymouth: seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe.
2. Ernestine Emma Horatia Edgcumbe (1843-1925), WHFT’s niece.
3. Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom (1837–1901), Empress of India (1876–1901).
4. Cotehele, Cornwall: ancient house, seat of the Earl of Mt Edgcumbe, now a National Trust Property.
5. Mary, Duchess of Beaufort (1630-1715) was a famous plant collector. Beaufortia, a plant from S W Australia, was named after her and introduced into England in the early 19th c.