My dear William

Lenny is very ill, but M^r Engleheart does not think there is danger:² his kidneys hardly act & his urine is tinged with blood— His liver is much disordered & he vomits. Poor dear little man, he is so patient.—

I have not much heart for Botany. I forget whether I said that pollen-tubes of wheat are same diameter as the cells of stigma—³ it is very improbable that they run down it, but if they do, they could be distinguished, I think, from the cells of stigma by not having transverse septa— It is much the most probable that they penetrate to hairs near where they adhere.— But it is very odd that tubes sh^d. come out on opposite side to point of adhesion— A rather oldish flower of wheat with anthers gone would be best; put in water & under thin glass.—

The Valerian (what species?) does seem case for me; it is, as in Primula, that some plants should have, all flowers with longer pistil than others.⁴ In Primula there is no gradation. Are stamens shorter in those flowers with long pistils? It would, I think, be better to look at a good many flowers on same two plants, if all on one have long pistil & all on other short pistil, I sh^d. very much like to see specimens. This would perhaps be better than marking plant & comparing at different ages—certainly in several plants pistil does elongate with age.—

Vaucher asserts that in all parts of Europe, plants of Lythrum salicaria occur of 3 forms;⁵ some with long, some with mid- & some with short pistil, & that all flowers on same plant are alike.— I have so many young plants growing up, that I hope I shall get all 3 forms next year.—⁶

Mamma, thank God, keeps pretty well with all our anxiety. All the rest are pretty well

Good Bye | My dear old fellow | C. Darwin