My dear Sir

I am sure that your kindness to me has been very great. I am sincerely sorry to hear that you still suffer in your health.—

I fear to trust in any way to two flowers alone. The capsules were certainly small, but then they were near the summit of the spike.— I ought to have asked to have had the capsules gathered separately & put in paper; for they all opened on the journey & shed their seeds.— The few seeds remaining in the two capsules had a larger proportion of bad seeds than those that were shed; but here again I dare not trust, for this may be due to the bad seeds not being in any case so readily shed.—²

With my repeated thanks for all your kindness, I remain, My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | C. Darwin

P.S. I mean to print a very little book on the fertilisation of Orchids by insects; & I will do myself the pleasure of sending you a copy whenever it is printed.—³