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orange colour, and covered with a fine gray down, 

 and is very picturesque and handsome. I have cut 

 open one of these drupes, the half of which Mr. 

 Poulter has sent to you, but it is now so much faded 

 as to give a very imperfect idea of the fruit upon 

 the plant. 



I shall have great pleasure in sending you two or 

 three specimens of the fruit ; but I should be much 

 happier if I could have the pleasure of seeing you 

 here, where I have beds for you and any one you 

 may desire to bring to describe or paint the plant. 



The painting alluded to by Mr. Poulter is now 

 taking by one of my daughters ; hereafter I shall 

 hope to show it you. She is painting the fructifi- 

 cation, that is, fruit and leaves of the strobilus, of 

 the natural size, which is all that appears to be now 

 necessary, for the external leaves are permanently 

 the same ; and this indeed is all that I conceive to 

 be possible, for the circumference of the whole 

 plant is much too large for any paper. 



If you should not be able to give me your com- 

 pany, be so good as to let me know what you think 

 can be best done for the information of the Linnaean 

 Society or yourself; for it seems worthy their notice, 

 as the whole which Linnaeus says on the genus 

 Cycas is, " De hujus charactere nihil etiamnum ab 

 auctoribus traditum reperi." If you wish to send 

 down any painter who will paint it at a reasonable 

 price, (I say from five to ten or twelve guineas, or 

 thereabouts, as I know not what painters of that 

 branch usually charge,) I shall willingly be at the 

 expense of it, and give a copy to the Society : but I 



