From Thomas Rivers   14 October 1866

My Dear Sir/

When looking over some grass a species of Bromus from the North Western coast of America—with a friend & botanist we noticed some oats that were producing ears of barley   this led to the assertion made by Elihu Burritt in his “Walk through the Eastern Counties” that a farmer at S^t. Ives Hunts had for years “transmuted” oats into barley.¹ doubting this I wrote to the writer of the enclosed² a farmer of 1600 acres a Member of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society & above all a good & truthful gentleman. The subject may possibly be an old one with you but to me so curious & well authenticated as to tempt me to trouble you.³ The writer’s name is M^r. J^no. Claydon⁴

I am My D^r. Sir | Y^rs. very truly | Th^os. Rivers