From G. C. Oxenden   4 August [1864?]¹

Dear Sir

The two Plants of “Ep. palustris”, are in cool lodgings, under the North wall of my Garden—& there I think they had better abide, until these fierce heats are abated—²

That valuable kind of knowledge which is derived from failures, tells me to expect this lovely Epipactis in Bogs, where the conterminous Uplands have either chalk or limestone substrata—

—The Boundary Rocks of Romney Marsh³ are Red Sandstone— & in the whole 30,000 acres of that reclaimed Bog I find not one of these Plants—

—I may lay claim to as large an amount of ignorance, in matters Geological & Botanical, as most people—& it is mere instinct which incessantly leads me both to good Plants & good shooting— So that, with regard to each of these pursuits, no new Country faults me in the least—

—The insect which haunts the flowers of Ep. grandiflora, or Helleborine, is an extremely minute black coloured Beetle— He is not findable now, for these Plants are far gone with Seed—⁴

Sincerely your’s | G. C. Oxenden

Broome

Augt. 4.