J. CASH : EARLY BOTANICAL WORK OF WM. WILSON. 



1829.* The plants, however, though stunted, appeared to have 

 been in a state of growth for a considerable period. I found they 

 were being carefully preser\-ed. along with some other relics of }»Ir. 

 Wilson's botanical tastes, by the present obliging occupant of the 

 house and grounds, I\Ir. Richardson. 



Mr. Bowman wrote on loth June, 1831 : — 



I was much delighted ^vith your discovery of the identit}- of the 'shining 

 moss' with Schistostega, and grateful for the tiny specimen which proved it, 

 and the drawings which accompanied it. This fact, at least, must be communi- 

 cated to the readers of the ' Magazine of Natural History,' who will perhaps 

 then say they have had enough of the subject 



I began to feel anxious to receive from Mr. H. Bowman, of Youlgreave, the 

 specimens of Encalypta strcptocarpa, which I requested him to send m.e via 

 Manchester as soon as he had gathered them, and the more so as I have some 

 fears lest the long fit of drj- weather since I was in Derbyshire may have prevented 

 the capsules from swelling and ripening, for on this depends the proper exhibition 

 of its curious twisted structure. In a letter soon after I received yours, to Miss 

 Bowman, I enclosed a note to Henry, requesting him now and then to wet the 

 piece of tufa to counteract as much as possible the bad influence of the dry atmos- 

 phere. I also told him of the other piece of tufa you had placed beside it, and 

 requested him to watch if it showed any signs of capsules during the ensuing 

 autumn or winter 



I am happy to inform you that a reference to the little Weissia I gathered last 

 spring in this neighbourhood, as W. calcaj-ea. soon proved it to be the more rare 

 W. pisUla. I was not long in re-visiting the limestone rocks or in finding it there 

 in considerable plenty, occupying moist shady cre\'ices quite shut out from the sun. 

 I collected a good deal, some with good teeth to the peristome. The leaves are 

 very characteristic, being lanceolate (in the barren plant subulate), the nerve in 

 both running to the point, but not thickening upwards nor occuppng the entire 

 upper half or rather one-third of the leaf, as in W. calcatra, but with an e%'ident 

 margin or continuation of the leaf up to the point, when highly magnified. 



igth July, 1 83 1. 



About the time your last letter arrived I received from Mr. Bowman, of 

 Youlgreave, the fertile specimens of Ejicalypta strepiocarpa I had left in his care, 

 and I know you will join me in regretting that the capsules have not in a single 

 instance filled properly, nor fully acquired that coiled or twisted character so 

 peculiar to the species and so well developed in the few ripe ones I gathered 

 myself, and part of which I left for you. We must, therefore, prize the latter 

 more highly till we are fortunate enough to meet \^-ith a fresh supply, which is 

 uncertain. Mr, Bowman says he watered them several times, according to my 

 directions, and in watching them from time to time found that the heads of the 

 capsules disappeared, so that though they were not in the state I had described to 

 him, they would be w-hen gathered, he thought it best to secure them. Insects or 

 smaU. birds may perhaps have bitten them ott : but I am inclined to attribute the 

 imperfect swelling and ripening of the capsules to the very dr\' warm atmosphere 

 of May and Tune. Those I gathered had acquired maturity in the more natural 

 and favourable circumstances of the winter and early spring months, and perhaps 

 a certain degree both of cold and m.oisture is necessary to fall maturity. He 



* The following entries occur in Air. Wilson's journal : — ' Alistletoe, 1S29 : 

 Planted a number of berries which were about to germinate on the apple-tree at 

 Paddington, on which there is already one plan:. Also on apple-tree nearer the 

 house. Also on a Pyrus a2ici!pa7-ia tree on the east side of the house." 



1830 : ' These seem all to have failed.' 



March 1S39 : ' A number of berries were sown at least tln-ee years ago. Alany 

 of these attached themselves to the bark of the apple-tree, and in the course of 

 last year, after being long quiescent, withered away. About two or three have 

 during last autumn and the winter put forth cotyledons. ' 



June 1S37. 



