Hartfield Grove,
Hartfield,
Tunbridge Wells.
July 30
1890
Dear Baron Ferdinand von Müller
Your charming gift of Algae1 was forwarded to me here, where we are staying for the summer, and I know not how to express my thanks for your kindness. So many novelties & such beautiful specimens! They are indeed a splendid addition to my collection!
I have also to thank you for many, forwarded to me by Prof Agardh, when distributing his duplicates. I wish our English Societies were as liberal as you are — it is a pity so many duplicates that would be such a treasure to collectors, are locked up to spoil in museums. It seems to me the study of Algology, so appropriate to our Islands, is declining in this country, probably because not encouraged. There cannot be a more attractive branch of Natural History. I mean to leave my collection to our Brighton Museum.
This is a very pretty part of Sussex — it is called Ashdown Forest "lucus a non lucendo",2 as the trees have long ago been cut down; but the very large heath, studded with fine Hollies and Thorns, is very attractive, especially now that the heath is in blossom. About 3 miles distant, is Lord De la Warre's place, Buckhurst, where the beech trees & oak are splendid & the red deer look so picturesque in the glades.
The American sheoaks do remarkably well in the peaty soil here, & in this place was one Rhododendron that measured 103 feet round & was one blaze of blossom! The Kalmias & Azaleas were also lovely. We have had a cold & changeable summer and the hay is only just got in.
I did not write so soon as I could have wished, on the receipt of your delightful parcel, as my sister & I were both laid up with severe colds. It would be an honour as well as a pleasure, to send specimens in return, & when I go back to my home at Brighton in Sept, I shall look over my collection and see whether there is anything worthy of your acceptance.
In the mean time
Believe me to remain
your's gratefully
Elizabeth E Gore
How beautiful are "Glaphyrymenia pustulosa" — Cryptomenia3 Wilsoni Wrangelia ballioides — Horea Wilsoni & that Queen of Seaweeds, "Claudea elegans"!
Azalea
Claudea elegans
Cryptomenia Wilsoni
Glaphyrymenia pustulosa
Horea Wilsoni
Kalmia
Rhododendron
Wrangelia ballioides
Please cite as “FVM-90-07-30,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on