Abb. ^<1>
9 March 1851

My dear Henry

I send you what I have got. I am joyous to have puzzled you with Epimedium Colchicum – the prettiest & earliest of its genus – betraying so clearly its affinities. I got it abroad.

We are quite perfumed with Narcissi & Hyacinths indoors & out – Is yours a bulbous soil? You have I suppose the fair Circassian snowdrop otherwise Galanthus plicatus. A pretty shrub has flowered today, Diosma umbellata it likes bog. I shall try the < Comeas?. ^<2> Four Grevillias have lived well through the winter. Lomatia Silaifolia I tried but it never took well to the soil & so died. L. longifolia I saw against a wall in the Liverpool Botanic Garden. Few Cape species do out.

Three sp. of Edwardsia are in flower or nearly, two more hardy ones have not yet flowered. I expect little variety.

I found last two years ago in the woods at Minterne ^<3> the double pseudonarcissus quite different from the garden double which is evidently the double of luteus or major, & quite agreeing with its natural single wild daffodil. poor D^r Herbert ^<4> would have rejoiced in this.

I am fond of shrubby composites. I have Swammerdammia antennaria & nummularifolia – Baccharis ilicifolia & halimi ditto, Eurybia ilicifolia & furfuracea – Cassinia rosmarinifolia Olearia dentata – Aster spinulosus & fruticulosus – & argophyllus – & I want Ozothamnus & Mutisia. all hardy.

Try the coprosmas – four live out here – two very nice evergreens. There has not been frost to kill a mignonette or annuals this season.

Can you help me to any Australia ferns – one or two seem hardy. I have succeeded in making Lycopodium Helacticum grow at last. I knew it ought & I would not be beat.

The Rhodods. are coming beautifully dark red & rose colour. There seems to be no early white. The tree heaths <–> barba jovis – Convol. cneorum & an early Vaccinium are in fine flower. as is Ribes Menziesii.

Our great Mesembryanthemums – rubrocinctum & edule are shewing abundance of flower – some of the latter are already blown. As for Primula Palinuri we could make cowslip balls of them this year – Morina longifolia flowered very prettily this autumn. Have you any fancy for Colchicums – I have a variety.

Y^rs Aff
W F S

I wonder having so many green houses besides a conservatory for beauty your botany does not take a special direction & that you do not cultivate a family – such as the curious orchideæ – ferns – aroideæ – bulbs – euphorbiaceæ – cacti – or other succulents, or any neglected family besides.

[envelope:]
Henry F. Talbot Esq
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham

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Notes:

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

2. Possibly Conœas.

3. Minterne House, the seat of Lord Digby, and thus the married home of WFT’s cousin Theresa Digby, daughter of the 3^rd earl of Ilchester. See Doc. No: 04673.

4. William Herbert, Dean of Manchester (1778–1847), MP; clergy; botanist; linguist.