Item data
Item Type:
Document
From:
Purton, Thomas
Sent from:
Alcester, Warwickshire
To:
Smith, Sir James Edward
Sent to location:
Norwich, Norfolk
Summary:
Hopes Smith's health is recovered, he and many others were disappointed he could not come to the last [Linnean Society][ anniversary meeting. He has been supervising [William] Baxter's [(1787-1871)], curator of the Botanic Garden, Oxford, "fasciculus of dried plants", about to be published.
He has procured many fungi specimens from Mr Gulliver of Banbury, of which he is sending a parcel. Compliments [Robert Kaye] Greville's work ["Scottish cryptogamic flora" (1823-1828)], and thinks the new genera 'Erineum', 'Acidium', 'Jaccinia', and 'Uredo' are well defined, but others including 'Xyloma' and 'Sclerotium' are "deficient in character".
Understands Smith is still sceptical regarding the Barberry bush being the cause of injury to wheat growing near it; has suggested to Greville it may be caused by "some peculiar modification of electricity" as the grain is always found shrivelled, as if scorched. Offers to send Smith further fungi specimens, including the "rarest", 'Batarrea phalloides'.
Letter date:
3 Sep 1824
Languages:
English
Prev Ref No:
98
Additional Information:
| Note type | Note |
|---|
| Finding Aids | Hutt, C M, "List of additional correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith" Linnean Society. |
| Related Material | Greville, R K, (1823-1828). "Scottish cryptogamic flora or Coloured figures and descriptions of cryptogamic plants, belonging chiefly to the order fungi; and intended to serve as a continuation of English Botany." Edinburgh: Maclachlan. |
