From Sir B. Brodie   20 September 1860

My dear Sir

I thank you for the account which you sent me of your useful labours in Hitcham. I wish I could be with you on the 3 ^rd October; but I am afraid it will be quite out of my power to visit Suffolk this year. At present I am, as you will see, at my own house in Surrey; but we are on the point of going for a short time to the sea-side, from whence we shall return some time in the latter part of October. If it should happen that anything were to bring you into our part of the world afterwards, I hope I need not tell you how much pleasure it would afford us to receive a visit from yourself & any of your family who may accompany you.

The Harvest in our immediate neighbourhood has been nearly got in, but I am afraid that the state of it elsewhere must be very deplorable. My agent, M ^r Stowe, gives me a bad account of it in your part of Suffolk. Our potatoes are this year worse than ever. I am planting the Chinese yam, imported by Fortune, which I find to be very productive and which I hope that your poorer neighbours may find useful eventually, as in some degree a substitute for potatoes.

yours very truly | B C Brodie

[In JSH’s hand: This letter is signed by Sir. B. Brodie, who has recently undergone an operation on his eyes. It is probably written by Lady B. or some friend— JSHenslow]