My dear Sir

I cannot deny myself the pleasure of saying however briefly at present, how much gratified I am by the receipt, this morning, of yours of the 29^th.¹ Every line of it is suggestive of things to do, as well, alas, as of opportunities neglected. That is a new idea to me of counting the seeds.² Many, many a time have I had my attention called to the paucity of seeds on crossing alien things—and even I observed where fewest they were the most obstinate in vegetating. And yet in that very severe cross of Rhodothamnus Chamæcistus with the large species of Rhodⁿ. the seeds were abundant & ripe—³ the seeds of this cross were not long & elliptical in form as in the male parent (Rhodⁿ.) but rounded as is the characteristic of the female parent

I yesterday got the same Bryanthus from a Nursery with Menziesea Cærulea— The M empetriformis I have ordered from Veitch London. So I shall again test the experiment.⁴ I do believe, and all here do,—that the empetriformis was what Mr Cunningham wrought upon.⁵ His nephew, I think I mentioned,⁶ said he really believed his Uncle was unable to say which,—whether that or the M. Cærulea was the female parent.

Having since I wrote you, answered some 20 questions submitted to me a M Neumann, describing himself as “Chef de Culture Jardins des Plantes”, Paris,⁷ an intelligent and most earnest Enquirer into these mysteries, I am perplexed whether certain explanations I gave were to you or to him. For this was a second Letter from the same Gentⁿ. who wished what light I could give him for some Conference to be held at the end of this month. He besought of me for leave to publish my Letters,⁸—very hasty things they were, but I hope their imperfections will be concealed under a French petticoat

This is the day I send off my despatches to D^r Jameson, and I shall mention your desire to correspond with him.⁹ These Rhexias relaise Humboldts fear (I think it is Humboldts)¹⁰ that certain plants from these elevated Plateaus are difficult to bring into bloom in Europe—& vice versa, D^r J mentions the same difficulty there with some European fruits. I have one thing more than 10 years old not l foot high, a Rhexia,¹¹ which shows no symptom of blooming yet.

But I must defer till next Letter further remarks on your Letter, merely observing now, that I will most gladly cooperate not only in the Experiments you have suggested but in any others you may point out. Certainly D. B.¹² is loose & as fast as he is loose—often wrong & incorrigible when he is. Yet there is matter in him, tho not the root of it. Long before Donald stumbled on about these “short anthers” I had not only come to regard them as the parents of my puny things—¹³ But I took up the idea that each separate pair had their functions separate from others—some conducing to to precocious fertility—some to more robust & others to a more tender constitution;—some to finer flowers & fruit & some to hardier & some to more tender constitutions. Hence it may be that Cultivation, in due time tends so much to improve our cultivated fruits & flowers. Again (do forgive my trespassing on your valuable time) I have ever held that there is much in times & seasons for accomplishing crosses which at other times I w^d never endeavour to essay. Is it Ozone, which, at times they say (and I think in Spring most) intermixes with the air in greater degree, that may produce these general influences. Some days I have found several hopeless seeds, long sown, to spring & crosses to take which, at other times it were in vain to try. Do turn your powers of mind and observation to atmospheric conditions and influences

But now I must come to the single line I intended to write. Did I tell you of an Association formed here to send a Collector to Vancouver Island & B. Columbia.¹⁴ I intended to do so and to send a Print of our proceedings—but I forget if I did either. I now enclose the Print.¹⁵ It occurs to me that you might kindly throw out some valuable suggestions for what our Collector,—an intelligent Botanist, might look after— And he at same time might pick up seeds of some things for crossing—those strawberries e.g.¹⁶ He sails immediately ie in some 10 or 14 days going by Cape Horn direct then for Vancouver Island

It is odd that if these American species won’t cross with ours, I certainly failed with some cross I attempted on F Indica a beautiful but insipid fruited thing.¹⁷ One cross I have fought & wrought with for years,—to cross Australian Veronicas with our native suffruticose kinds e.g. V fruticulosa to V. saxatalis. Yet I have plants much dwarfer than the female (V Speciosa. N Zealand) but the foliage tho’ smaller is that of the Mother, and I fear it is her repeated— we will see

But I must resist all temptation to go into the other points in your letter till another time. Oh that I had sooner had the incentives applied which your intelligence & ardour now so late inspire me with. But now I have the time I never had before, and with the electric light which you hold up & the spark communicated my time may not be wasted on merely producing a beautiful thing, the admiration of a day then to be forgotten forever.

Believe me | Yours very Sincerely & most obliged | Is Anderson Henry

Chas Darwin Esq | F.R.S.