Darwin Correspondence Project

No one can have worked at systematic botany as long as I have, without having many misgivings about the definiteness of species. My notions about varieties are I believe just what you would have them See Sill. Jour. Sci. Jan. 1856. p. 136.: i.e. I believe every constitutional variety has a strong tendency to be perpetuated by seed, and the 2d & 3d generations a stronger tendency still to transmit their inherited peculiarities. And when we see that every plant man takes in hand developes into varieties with readiness, when favorably circumstanced, we cannot avoid suspecting they may do the same thing—.i.e. sport in some way in the wild state also;—and that there is some law, some power inherent in plants generally prompting them to originate varieties.— —which is just what you want to come to, and I suppose this is your starting point.

Here you begin then with good, tangible facts; and I am greatly interested to see what is to be made out of them. First, can you get at the law of variation? or throw any <section missing>

There is a good deal of fertilization in the bud, in various plants.

I must look at Kidney beans in view of what you say.

As to Fumariaceæ, I can't imagine how, in Adlumia for instance, insects can get at the pollen very well, and still less how they can take any to the stigma of other blossoms.

But in most cases cross-fertilization seems a most likely thing to happen—

Kindly post the enclosed. I write in greatest haste, and am, with the highest regard

Ever Yours most faithfully | A. Gray