TALBOT8541

Melbury ¹Dorchester
16 April

My dear Henry

We should be very glad to see you here as you propose about the 25^th but you must let me write again as we have invalids which makes it hardly possible to be certain about its being feasible – I shall be much interested to hear & I hope see, something of your Photoglyphs.

We are just returned from a few weeks stay at Abb^{y 2} I never knew so wet a March or so bad as to weather – Kings are cheap ³ now I suppose as there is so little dust to ransom them. Nevertheless I never saw finer or more abundant rhododendrons Camellias, Narcissi &^c – tho’ their beauty was dimmed by the constant rains. For the first time I saw Camellia reticulata flower – & that magnificently – out of doors.

I have a climbing Fern from New Zealand, Phymatodes Billard: that does well out, tho’ slow to take to anything you plant it by – also Balantium culcita & Allantodia australis do very well. Triteleia uniflora & its ally, Milla – are great acquisitions. I have a good gardener at Abb^y now – I wish he had come before so many favourites were lost not to be easily got again.

I will write again on Saturday or Monday.

We have Primula involucrata in flower & Camassia exculenta both nice plants – If you have an open day I recommend you to pay Hooker ⁴ a visit at Kew – do you mean to visit Lacock? I have just got a book that promises to be of some interest – Jackson & Aubrey’s Collections for Wiltshire ⁵

Y^r aff^te
W^m

I hope you left all well in Scot^ld

[envelope:]
Henry F. Talbot, Esq, Athenæum
London
SW