HORTICULTURE

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. Thirty-six lines of text, signed ‘Atholl’. Text complete (except for address of recipient), on grubby and worn paper. Folded three times. The letter has been trimmed at the foot, resulting in some loss to the address of the recipient, which appears to read ‘Captn Ross R. N. / 160 New Bond Street’. This is presumably the ‘Rayley, [sic] Captain, R.N. 160, Bond-street’, who in 1832 was listed among the proprietors of shares in London University. The Duke’s handwriting is execrable.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded once.Addressed to 'Dear Miss Lewis' and with good firm signature 'Alfred Parsons'. He will be very pleased to dine with her the following Friday, '& dance one set of Lancers after; I feel much complimented at being asked with the young people'.

An attractive and highly-finished production, in black ink, on 17.5 x 20.5 cm piece of wove paper, glued on the reverse at the four corners to a leaf extracted from the autograph album of the novelist George Meredith and his daughter Marie Eveleen (Mariette; 1871-1933), wife of Henry Parkman Sturgis (1847-1929), American-born banker and Liberal politician. Parsons' monogram signature 'AP. in its two-bordered square is at the bottom left of the drawing, and there is an additional autograph signature with date to the right of the drawing on the leaf of the Meredith album: 'Alfred Parsons.

See his entry in the Oxford DNB. From the Piffard papers. A total of 10pp, 12mo. Aged and worn, with the first letter on creased grey paper, the second with one leading edge rolling inwards, and the last with a 2cm closed tear; but with text clear and entire. The recipient named as ‘B. Piffard Esq’. All signed ‘Henry Doubleday’. ONE: 14 July 1860. 2pp, 12mo. With reference to an excursion by Piffard to Maldon, and also stating that he ‘took a very fine female Deilephila Galei in our garden on Wednesday - it was at rest on a strawberry plant’. TWO: 7 March 1890. 1p, 12mo.

See Thiselton-Dyer’s entry in the Oxford DNB. Printed on one side of a 10 x 13 cm piece of paper, and made out in manuscript to ‘Sir William Thistleton [sic] Dyer (and Lady)’. Text size in good condition, lightly aged, with the blank reverse of the card with slight damage from mounting. The recipient has written in a close hand in red ink at top left: ‘accepted. / 18. 7. 02.’ The text reads: ‘The Chelsea Physic Garden.

See her entry and that of Kegan Paul in the Oxford DNB. 1p, 4to. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The recipient is not named. Reads: ‘Dear Sir. / Mr. Kegan Paul was a great friend of mine, & when it came out he gave me a book called “Rabbi Jeshua” 1881. published by the firm. I should be so much obliged if you might tell me the name of the writer if I am asking what is never done please forgive me. / Yrs truly / Maria Theresa Earle’. At top right, in her hand: ‘Mrs C. W. Earle’.

1p, 12mo. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded three times. In order to mark the request as dealt with, the recipient has written a thin ink line across the page. Reads: ‘W J Chadwick Esqre / Sir / Please send me price list of your Teacher’s Patent Lantern Microscope / Yours truly / C. V. Creagh / Governor of North Borneo / Address / Sandakan / North Borneo / via Singapore’.

On one side of an irregular piece of thin paper, roughly 12.5 x 13.5 cm. From the celebrated autograph collection of Richard Monckton Milnes (Lord Houghton), and neatly mounted on a leaf extracted from an album. He writes that a few days previously he wrote to ask 'Monsieur le ministre de la marine' for 'une audience de q[uel]ques instants'. He fears that the letter did not reach him, and so renews his request. Signed 'salut et paternité | Alphonse Karr'.

3pp, 12mo. Bifolium. In fair condition, with one central vertical fold, and patch of small holes at head of second leaf. Interesting letterhead, with image of Egyptian hieroglyphics. Someone (probably Mrs Kipling) has written 'orchid' on the first page. The letter begins: 'Mr dear Mrs. Kipling, | I sent you a few flowers today by post, also (by rail to Etchingham) a Cypripedium Insigne, a Blush Rambler & a Lady Gay rose. The Cyp: Insig: is very fairly hardy but I should not stand it in too violent a draught.

Margaret Ramshaw of Bishop Auckland married the industrialist William George Armstrong (1810-1900), 1st Baron Armstrong, in 1835. She played an important role in the design of the gardens at Jesmond Dene, the couple’s house in Newcastle, and later at Cragside, which is now a National Trust property. 2pp., 12mo. Bifolium. In good condition, lightly aged. Folded twice, and with traces of mount on blank second leaf.

12pp., 12mo. On three bifoliums. In good condition, lightly aged. A long speculation - of great interest in the light of subsequent developments - on 'the connection between Vegetation & Climate', beginning with a discussion of 'the case of the Hawthorn'. 'The whole subject', he notes, 'at present is in its infancy and there are so many varied questions for wh. we seek answers that at present I do not think we can state any certain conclusions. | Botanically, the constitution of each species is an interesting source of investigation.

16pp., large 8vo (36 x 26.5 cm). In fair condition, aged and worn, and on rag paper rather than newsprint. Illustrations throughout. Advertisements at front and back. An editorial gives the aims of the paper, and includes the following: 'Who can doubt but that in the United Kingdom there are at the present moment fully one million of adult persons deeply imbued with a love for gardening. [...] Who, twenty years ago, would have believed that over 100,000 readers of gardening papers were possible?

The table or bloom calendar is in a makeshift table, ruled out in pencil over 2pp., folio. It is in poor condition, heavily-aged, divided into two sections along central horizontal fold line, and with slight loss to text from chipping.

2pp., 16mo. Bifolium. Addressed on reverse of second leaf to 'Daniel McTaggart Esq: of Kilkeran [sic]'. In fair condition, on lightly aged paper. He is sending him 'Keith' (i.e. a book by George Skene Keith), which contains 'some facts bearing on the Potatoe question'. He has other works on the same matter, but they are 'out', with the exception of 'Vol: 2 of the Gardener which I send down'. In his opinion 'Works on Forrest [sic] trees and Landscape Gardening throw no light on either disease or Longivity [sic] of Plants.

4pp., folio. Bifolium. Complete, on aged and worn paper.

One page, cr.8vo, faint staining (foxing?) but text clear and complete. "the Duke of Devonshire has only today received Mr Wards letter cponcerning the box at Drury Lane. Mr Heaton [his agent] Old Burlington St will transact the business with the committee upon this letter being shown to him." He succeeded to the title on the death of his father in 1811.

12mo, 2 pp. Bifolium. With two pages of lists of plants by Shepherd. Good, on aged paper. In remains of original envelope. The letterhead advertises that the firm also has a branch at Ashford. Begins: 'We can supply you with the shrubs &c you kindly enquire about at the Prices named on other side - your orders for which will have our careful attention'. Three are marked with a cross, being 'very critical trees to move' for which the firm 'can undertake no responsibility as to their success'. Prices given for fifteen types, from 'Spruce Trees - 4 ft.

12mo: 1 p. 8 lines of text. On aged paper somewhat grubby around signature at foot. Asks when he will be 'able to come to us to meet the d[uke] of Wellington'. They are 'at liberty any time between the 4th and 11th of January'.

Juliette Huxley's letter is 4to: 2 pp. Good, though lightly creased and attached to the other items by a paperclip. The correspondence mainly concerns a book by Cowell's eventually published under the title 'The garden as a fine art: from antiquity to modern times' (1978). She begins by describing Mary Wellesley: 'quite a character [...] lives in a small house off St. James's Palace, and entertains by candlelight.

Four pages, 4to, fold marks, discoloration, some damage with minor loss of text.

Entomologist (1924-), author of the monumental 'Generic names of moths of the world' (6 vols, 1975-91). The recipient is the author of several works on gardening. 1 page, 8vo. In good condition, but creased and with one closed tear and with sellotape stains at head and foot. He thanks his correspondent for the letter of 10 September enclosing a caterpillar, and compliments him on its preservation. '[I]t is in perfect condition for determination. It is very difficult to preserve the green coloration, as in life.' He identifies the specimen as a cabbage moth.