His Highland tour cancelled due to bad weather. Account of the harvest, which is progressing well; agricultural unrest. Intends to send a paper on the original breed of black cattle.

Presumes Smith returned sometime ago from his trip to Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire. Has brought a few of the halfpence Smith was desirous of, has heard that they are made in Birmingham, Warwickshire, in sets. Has not yet seen third volume of "Linnean Transactions". Dublin Botanic Garden "goes on famously" but still no head gardener appointed. Disappointed by lack of natural history and botany in Sir George Staunton's "Voyage", believes he may have been restrained by political motives. Encloses a 'Fumaria' he believes is the one in "English Botany". Assumes Smith has postponed publication of the second volume of his "Tour".

Received Smith's letter of 1 February 1797. Sending specimens of 'Jonesia asoca', 'Flemingia grandiflora', and 'Thunbergia fragrans', the only species he knows of in India, for Smith's observations, includes some of his own. Duplicates from a box of specimens sent to Sir Joseph Banks for [Aylmer Bourke] Lambert should be given to Smith. Started despatching generic and specific characters of his plant drawings two years ago after hearing they were to be published, the twelfth hundred are now ready. Separately sending seeds of his 'Grislea tomentosa', formerley 'Lythrum', glad to hear that it is growing in Edinburgh Botanic Garden, has had no acknowledgment of the seeds and plants he has sent there since the death of [John] Hope, asked Banks to name one of the new genera after Hope if the former 'Hopea' proves to be a 'Lymplocos'. Assumes Smith has received 'Dillenia indica' flowers. An "infinite" amount of insects in his location but only just started collecting them on Smith's request, separately sending four of a cloud of locust and the letter sent from the surgeon who sent them to Roxburgh. Intends to go to Cape [of Good Hope] for his health.

Replies to Smith's letter of 2 October [1797]. Account of Mrs Manning's [Woodward's mother-in-law] suspected severe inflammation of the lungs, which she overcame at age of 73. He has suffered attack of gout in his right hand. At Smith's request examined all his specimens of 'Bromus' and finds that a "ciliated" "inner value" appears in the "coarse, rough" species, but not 'B. giganteus', observations on this; also examined his 'Festuca' specimens for same; observations.

Sorry for "sad account" of Mariamne Johnes, hopes Smith's attendance on her will not incovenience him too much.