My dear Hooker

Very many thanks for your two notes. I am glad that you approve of the “Diet of Worms”.¹ When in old days I used to tell you whatever I was doing, if you were at all interested, I always felt as most men do when their work is finally published.— I have also been very glad to hear the great news about your new villa.² Alas this will make it more difficult than ever to see you here.

Now about the plants: the Drosophyllum & Sarracenia arrived in perfect condition & they are such splendid specimens, that if they had been mine, I could not have endured to have lent them, if father, mother, wife & child had all supplicated me.— I must cut a wedge-like section of the earth in which Drosophyllum grows to get some of its roots,, but I hope this will not kill it; & cut off 2 or 3 leaves.³ With respect to Euphorbiaceæ, I care not what the plants are, so that they belong to 3 or 4 very distinct genera; not Euphorbia or Phyllanthus.⁴ Small, youngish plants named & marked greenhouse or hothouse w^d be best, as it is the roots which I have to examine. I spoke to Vines, about the case, & he knows nothing at all like it. Why the contents of the cells in the alternate rows in every rootlet on the whole plant sh^d. differ conspicuously, after certain reagents, passes my comprehension; so that the subject seems worth pursuing.⁵ I shall look to roots of Nettles & Box as somewhat allied to the Euphorbiaceæ.⁶

Farewell | C. Darwin

D^r King says that he cannot keep the Dischidia alive in Calcutta!⁷

Please mark “to be returned” any at all valuable Euphorbiacaeous plant which is sent here, if I do not kill it.