[on light mourning paper]
Merthyr Mawr
January 15th 1869
My dear Henry
Your photograph of the Pampas Grass, shows a better shaped plant than ours, but I doubt that it is as large – I do not know what ought to be done when the centre gets hollow – I have often thought of filling it up with fresh earth but I do not think it would be what occurs in a natural state. What is your plan?
Have you seen the figure of the Campanula isophylla in the new number of the Botanical Mag. My sister Emma has sent it to me to look at & I am delighted – In your old Botanical excursions on the Cornice [sic] did you ever see it? it is said to grow at Capo di Noli near Finale; that locality is favored for it was there I found the beautiful Convolvulus sabatius, growing in the chinks of the rocks overhanging the Sea, but I never saw or heard of this lovely Campanula before. I am glad you have sown all the seeds from New Zealand but I hardly expect many will come up – none of the Trees did here & I fancy they were not gathered ripe which is a pity.
I spent a fortnight at Margam lately but the weather was bad, Chrisr is remarkably well. He as well as my nieces seem to have enjoyed their hurried Tour very much & to have seen a great many things, just enough to make them long to go again. Poor Saverio Zavota was overjoyed to see his Padrone – once more at Ischia he is 83 – a great age for an Italian.
Pray give my love to Matilda & tell her that we should be very glad to make acquaintance with her children & introduce them to their Welsh Cousins!
When do you think of going to your foreign family?
Believe me your always affte Cos
Jane
[envelope:]
W. H FOX Talbot Esqre
Dabton
Thornhill
Scotland
Lacock Abbey
Chippenham
Wiltshire