My dear Sir.

I duly received your much esteemed letter of 27^th. Dec^r.¹ last and now write to suggest might it be possible to borrow £500 from the Government for the purpose of carrying on the work; giving the new varieties of the potato as security for repayment of the loan and of your advance—²

A single variety of the plant “The Champion” which is now spreading all over the Kingdom has been worth many thousands of pounds to the country within the last few years, and doubtless it will be worth a great many more before it disappears so that the security ought to be good—

The “Champion” was grown from a seed sown in the Spring of 1863 and latterly it has become more and more susceptible to the Disease and less and less able to produce its fruit—³

Watching it for the last two seasons I found all the Stamens abnormally twisted and all the flowers dropped off.— Last year as I am informed it did not produce any fruit anywhere and unquestionably new varieties should be coming forward to replace it—⁴

In the present state of affairs with the whole kingdom “hungry” for potatoes such as we had fifty years ago, it will be too bad if £500 stops the way. and yet I cannot devote another shilling to the work, although I thought I could afford to spend a thousand a year on it when I commenced—⁵

If no better may be I will offer these new varieties to all the Governments in Europe, and if they be allowed to pass out of the Country. I think it will be a mistake—but better that, than that they should perish.

I am my dear Sir. | most respectfully | and faithfully. | James Torbitt.