From George Gordon to John Hutton Balfour 1 July 1861
Manse of Birnie, Elgin
1 July 1861
My dear Sir,
Last year, at Mr. H. C. Watson’s instance I sent a parcel of Goodyera to Mr. Darwin.1 He (Mr. D.) has just applied to me for living specimens of Corallorhiza,2 which I regret I cannot supply.
Our friend Mr Stables3 has suggested that some of your pupils could procure them from Ravelrig bog.4 “A few flowers in large bud” is what Mr. D. wants,5 and his present address is Charles Darwin Esqr. (of Down, Kent) at Torquay, Devonshire”.—6
I shall be happy to repay your pupil any expense he may be at in procuring & forwarding this plant;—and trusting you will excuse the liberty I have now taken I am | Yours truly | George Gordon
Profr Balfour &c &c
Footnotes
Bibliography
Desmond, Ray. 1994. Dictionary of British and Irish botanists and horticulturists including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers. New edition, revised with the assistance of Christine Ellwood. London: Taylor & Francis and the Natural History Museum. Bristol, Pa.: Taylor & Francis.
Summary
Asks whether one of Balfour’s students could obtain specimens of Corallorhiza from Ravelrig bog outside Edinburgh for CD.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-3198F
- From
- Hewett Cottrell Watson
- To
- John Hutton Balfour
- Source of text
- Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh
- Physical description
- ALS 1p & ADraftS 1p
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 3198F,” accessed on
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 13 (Supplement)
