Summary

Has had a nice stay with William, who is charming but rather languid and cannot read to himself.

Love to Amy [Darwin] and Mrs Ruck.

Summary

Cobra poison is a stimulant to protoplasm. Poison acts very differently on cilia and protoplasm of Drosera.

Summary

Asks WED to visit Winchester soon and collect Utricularia for him

Summary

Describes leaf movements of Pinguicula and Drosera in capturing prey. Notes effects of ammonium carbonate on leaves.

Summary

Thinks Frank and he have worked out Pinguicula well and they long to attack Utricularia. Tried several plants with sticky glandular hairs; some few absorb ammonia, but the greater number do not. If JDH sends plant or seed of Lychnis CD will examine it to see whether it catches many flies. Asa Gray has written him much about Sarracenia, with a specimen showing the splendid dodge by which ground insects are enticed up and then drowned. Describes how it may be investigated, to see whether it absorbs decayed matter from flies, or ammonia thus generated.

Summary

Has read THF’s article on Coronilla [see 9400] – "a very curious case"; is troubled by C. emerus.

Summary

Suggests experiment involving cobra poison on white corpuscles. Thanks for offer of Crotalus poison.

Summary

It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.

Summary

Asks about the effect of atropine on the eye. Is interested in parallel case: influence of phosphate of ammonia on glands of Drosera.

Summary

Thanks for the Pinguicula plants, which have recovered, and asks if he could also send Utricularia, since his other supplies have failed.

Summary

Advises JVC on how his publisher might deal with problem of getting satisfactory heliotype copies for 2d [German] edition of Expression.

Regrets that he will again be away in August, when JVC might have come for a visit.

Summary

Thanks for Drosophyllum. No longer needs Utricularia.

Summary

Discusses specimens of Utricularia.

Mentions JR’s work on desmids [The British Desmidieae [Desmidiae!?] (1848)].

Summary

Suggests experiments to try [with Nepenthes]. Asks JDH to test whether cabbage seeds and peas exposed to the ferment germinate.

Summary

Discusses effect of atropine solution on eye,

and effect of phosphate of ammonia solution on gland of Drosera.

Would like to see work by T. W. Engelmann and possibly one by Dr De Ruyter.

Summary

Wishes he had known of atropia and hopes he will have time to try it next summer.

Summary

The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".

The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.

Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.

Summary

Thanks GJR for his letter, regrets pressure of other work prevents his giving GJR’s remarks the attention they deserve. GJR makes clearer how an organ that has started to decrease will go on decreasing.

Summary

"It is grand about Nepenthes."

JDH is welcome to notice in any way any of CD’s published or unpublished results with insectivorous plants. Gives an abstract of his observations on Drosera.

Summary

Asks for the specific gravity of common phosphate of ammonia.