Dear Sir

Sir William & D^r. Hooker have told me that I might use their names as an introduction to you.² I do not know whether my name is known to you; but I have so often heard of interesting Botanical facts of your discovery, from D^r. Hooker, that I feel as if I had been introduced to you. I am very anxious for a piece of information which possibly you may be able to give me. It is whether very many British or north-European, perennial plants can withstand, living & seeding, under the climate of S. Australia.—³ I presuppose that the plants are kept in a well-weeded garden, free from the intrusion of the native vegetation. They might be supposed to be watered in very dry weather; my point being whether they could withstand the heat, & perfect their seeds. I presume all S. European plants could succeed well; but I want to know whether the greater number of British or still more north-ranging plants could survive & seed.— If you could answer me this question even approximately, & would take the trouble to write to me, I sh^d. be very much obliged.— I believe there a good many British naturalised plants in S. Australia; (Have you ever enumerated them?) & this of course answers my question most fully as far as they are concerned, even under conditions not the most favourable, as they have to struggle with the native vegetation.—

With apologies for troubling you, & with much respect, I beg leave to remain, Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | C. Darwin