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Strangeways June 15th 95
Sir
The persons who wished for me to go with them to the environs of ingleborough, when the time came they droped their intended excursion, which stoped me for going on whitsuntide week, but I resolved to go the week following, but as I went by myself & had a good deal of weight to carry, I could not examine the hills & woods so well as I wished for to do,
In your letter I found that you wished me to send some plants which grew in that country for his Majestys Gardens at Kew, I went to the college library to look at the Hortus Kewensis, and all the plants which I knew that grew in that country I found was mentioned, which makes me to doubt that these plants which I send you, some of them will be found allmosst in every field I am that they have the same at Kew, I am also afraid that some of them will be found allmost in every field there is a veronica which I found upon the western side of pennigent [Pen-y-ghent] & ingleborough among the rocks, when more advanced in age I am afraid will prove to be the officinalis.
These plants grew about Manchester, Polypodium phaegopteris, Andromeda polififilia [polifolia]. Narthecium ossigragum [ossifragum] & the Drosera this drosera was called by the Botanists in this country the longifolis & I called it the same, without investigating it (which will make mind better for future) will most likely prove to be the anglica of Hudson, which I find is not mentioned in the Hortus Kewensis, as the other that I sent you had floribus hexagynis & Capsulis tribus valientis
The plants I doubt will be in bad condition with being kept so long before I sent them you, the reason was I could not get this sundew sooner. I met with a man who told me he had worked in Kew gardens & he would shew me a very scarce plant, but when I came to look at this scarce plant it was nothing but the Stellaria nemorum, which grows most plentifully with us, but through him praising it so I sent you a root of it
I am sorry that I could not get the plants in fructification which Mr Dickson wanted, the Conferra gelatinosa which Mr Dickson wanted I imagine it is one of the varietys in withering, mentioned in Dillenius growing on Clifton moss about 5 miles from manchester, which I will make search after.
As it is nigh the time of Hay harvest I cannot well come to London yet, but will let you know in proper time when I intend to come.
These plants following grows plentifully about Manchester, Ophioglossum Vulgatum, Osmunda