Darwin Correspondence Project

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My dear Sir/

All that I did about the seeds was done at the suggestion of Dr Hooker entirely to forwar<d> your views, and the little that I was able to ascertain is entirely at your service. I think I should arrange the families as they appear in Lindleys Vegetable Kingdom. It is best to have some definite order. The Corn salad consists of different species of Fedia. I cannot tell you what particular species or supposed species. The Aubergine is a variety of Solanum Melongena. The Kidney bean I tried was the dwarf Belgian Phaseolus vulgaris. It is very possible that the change of seed in the Sugar Peas may be due to mere variation and not to impregnation. The subject is not capable of solution from one or two Experiments. The mottled seeds last year produced grey, red & other colored peas. A few only came quite true. But I cannot say that the change is from impregnation of their neighbours. The white sugar peas come more true than the mottled ones, but they vary in tint. I have not got Gærtners book to refer to.

I am so busy this year with my Introduction to Crypt. Bot that I have no time for gardening.

Do you know the Rawsons at Bromley? Mrs Rawsons brother lives here and has married my neice.

I am very truly yours M J Berkeley.—

I should be glad of two or three of the Black Peas
King's Cliff | March 7. 1856.

Two or three red peas sowed by themselves produced mottled peas.