From Lord Ducie [1853-1860]

Dear Mr Henslow,

The 9. ^th September was with us a day of hot gleams and showers which I can only describe by saying that they washed the exhibitors potatoes as effectually as could have been done by hand. The quantity we think was under that of last year though, as it takes some time to get up the statistics— we cannot be quite certain. There was a marked improvement in roots, onions and apples. The latter very fine indeed— This however was chiefly owing to the season. Plums and pears very scarce. Nosegays and floral devices tolerably abundant, of the latter, some were perfectly preposterous. One of them was a cottage with a fountain in front the cottage a tank— the fountain a gas burner.

Two specimens of “Dioscorea Batatas” was shown— one by myself— one by a tenant. Mine was inferior to the tenants, but they were both improvements on last year, and appear to be more acclimatized. As a vegetable it is beneath contempt and not to be spoken of in the same day with a Jerusalem artichoke to w. ^h it bears a feeble resemblance. I should much have liked to visit y. ^r show, but fear that it is out of my power.

Believe me |yours very truly | Ducie

[P.S.] I shall send my statistics when printed