Dear Sir,

My attention has recently been called to the very singular fact that I have obtained evergreen phloxes by impregnating the annual varieties (Drummondii) with the perennial species or seedlings—¹ this fact is extremely interesting when we consider that the perennial phloxes not only drop their leaves but also that their woody stems completely die down

I shall try further experiments with the object of obtaining more definite information & remain D^r Sir | Yours very truly | A. Clapham C. Darwin Esq^r. I do not wish you to understand that I profess to have raised the first phlox such as I have described for phlox depressor & several Continental varieties appear to have been obtained either by the accidental or intentional intermixture of the two species, but I am not aware that the curious result which I have named has been before observed—the same object has been attained (so far as regards the acquisition of leaves by crossing Rhododendron onto the Azalia