Item A15 - Letter from Richard Chandler Alexander, Bath, to John Hutton Balfour

Chandler writes that he is glad that Balfour has received the plants sent last week. Will have more and better ones this time. Please propose Mr. Broome to be a member of the Society. He is prosperous and an excellent botanist. Am sorry that you didn't send a list of plants with those you sent me. They were ones I had long wished for. Have found near Bath a variety of Stachys ambigua growing on a dry sunny bank with Stachys syloatica. [described] Also Convatlaria Polygonatum too far advanced and the flowers dropped off. Carex ordilaris is abundant here but differs from those from the Society. Turvitis glabria, Helleborus viridis, Ornithogatum pyrenicum, Coronopus didyma, Buplenarum rotundifolium, I have found in quantity. A single specimen of Valeridalla inita amongst V. dentata which is common here. The Silene inflata around Bath has thick down on the stalks and leaves edged with bristles sometime serrated but gradually becomes its usual glabrous character. Decandolle and Hooker nots this variety. Ranunculus parvifloras covered a cornfield to the exclusion of other weeds. Have samples of Carex digitata, Arabis stricta [Bristol rock cress] for the Society. The best location for the latter was destroyed in building the Clifton suspension bridge. Mrs Glennie [the wife of the supervising engineer employed by Brunel] got him to carefully take them up the roots and replant them on rocks elsewhere. I intend to write up the Flora of Chippenham and neighbourhood for the Society. Have examined 3 sides of the town but not the most distant from Corsham, and won't have now I am settled here. I will send Mr. Broome's subscription with the specimens. I have a mistletoe growing on an apple tree for Dr.Neill. Let me have your desiderata soon. Ornithagalum pyrosicium was sold in the Spring as asparagus in quantity. P.S. I have been to Cheddar gorge, Banwell Cave and Western-s-Mare and found Dianthus caesius, Mecanopsis Thalictrum minor, Polypodium caleareum, Cistopteris fragilis and Gramsinitis Ceterach at Cheddar. Hypericum montanum, Sium latifolium, Ciuthmum maritimus, Desada fruticulosa at Weston. The drought has stopped all vegetation here. My health is better with these warmer, dryer days.
Summary by library volunteer Simon Muirhead.