TALBOT6008

Bowood ¹
Tuesday Oct^r 12^th 1847 –

My dear Henry

I sent you yesterday per Post, a blossom of the Aloe, which I thought you would like to see. It had been gathered three days, & therefore had lost some of it’s fraicheur ² – But I w^d not get a fresh one, because they are to very fat when newly gathered, & difficult to pack; besides which they contain a large quantity of sweet syrup which is continually running out, & has a very disagreable smell – But in the fresh flower the Stamin are a bright yellow, & have a handsome appearance. I also sent the leaf of a tree I raised from seed Some years ago – I don’t know if it is rare – the gardener calls it a Stag’s Head. Let me know your opinion of it. There is a curious circumstance connected with the Aloe, which Pauley says ought to be made known to Lindley. ³ Sir W^m Hooker, ⁴ & all the great people – so I thought you might mention it in that quarter if you thought fit. You know the saying is that the Aloe only flowers once in a hundred years – which means, at any rate, that it only flowers when very old – Our Aloe is very old, & large; the leaves measuring 5 f^t in length, & proportionably thick & strong – but by the side of it, besides several other young suckers, as one usually sees, is one 6 inches high, without leaves, & crowned by a perfect flower with 4 blossoms like the one sent, just ready to blow – Is not this curious? I wish you would publish this fact.

We left M^t E. ⁵ at 8 yesterday morning, having with infinite difficulty accomplished all the packing & business in 3 days – & came on to Exeter in the first instance, where that train stops for an hour & ¼ – & reached Chippenham at seven. It was past 8 when we got here – I found them just sat down to dinner, & joined them without dressing – My Aunt ⁶ is still very weak & poorly – I only saw her for a moment, as it was the first day she had been out of bed for a week – & she entreated me to stay all today, to which I consented, & must now start by the early Express so as to be in Town by eleven o’clock – I do not think now that I can be off Thursday – unless it is late in the day – to sleep at Dover – & that is scarcely possible – So I suppose I shall go Friday – I would not start on a Friday for the world – but I have already started – so it does not signify. My Aunt is better to day – L^d L. ⁷ went to Town for some days on Gov^t business – He is also much better. The Howards ⁸ & Shelburnes ⁹ are here. I forgot to say that if you w^d like a young Nettle tree, I w^d give you one I raised from seed – When the leaves are off – ab^t 4 f^t high – but don’t have it unless you have a good place for it – because I have but 6 –

Y^r aff^te
Caroline

Love to Constance, Amandier & Chicks ¹⁰ –