My dear Sir

I shall be glad of a sight of the monstrous ovaries of Primula.² The true character of the free placenta is not thoroughly understood—indeed Caspary³ regards the ‘pistil’ as not homologous with the pistil (carpels) of other plants but as ‘procarpels’ the true carpels being reduced to the funiculus & integuments of the ovules. Rather an absurd view.— But what we want is something better to connect this free placenta of Primula with the marginal placentalⁿ. of other angiospermous ovaries.

I shall call at the New Conservatory this P.M. for flowers of Edwardsia ⁴

Ever Sincerely yours | D Oliver