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To K. E. S., L. C., and M. S. Wedgwood   4 [August 1862]1

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4th

My dear Angels!

I can call you nothing else.—

I never dreamed of your taking so much trouble; the enumeration will be invaluable.2 I will write this evening if possible & explain what I have very little doubt is the case with Lythrum, & which I am daily working to prove by most laborious crosses.—3

But I write now to ask whether you will be more angelic than angels & send me in tin, not tightly packed, with little damp (not wet) moss (perhaps tied round stems??) 2 or 3 flowers of both forms of Hottonia: I much wish to measure pollen & compare stigmas.—4

GoodBye | My dear Angels | C. Darwin

Footnotes

1
The date is established by the relationship to the letters from M. S. Wedgwood, [before 4 August 1862] and [6 August 1862].
3
CD apparently wrote a further letter (see letter from M. S. Wedgwood, [6 August 1862] and n. 3), but it has not been found. On CD’s crossing experiments with Lythrum salicaria, see, for example, the letter to Daniel Oliver, 29 [July 1862] and n. 6.

Summary

Their enumeration [of forms of Lythrum?] is invaluable. He will write later to explain what he is trying to prove about Lythrum through laborious crosses.

Asks for flowers of both forms of Hottonia to measure pollen and compare stigmas.

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 4373,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-4373.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 10

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