Summary

Finds from the Colonial Office that a census [of the Pitcairn Islands?] is expected soon, from which he will get the information he desires. [See 9241 and 9246.]

Summary

Has forwarded JDH’s memorial to T. H. Farrer to take up with Sir Stafford Northcote and to ask him to consider the case of Kew personally. Has told Farrer that JDH was thinking of resigning if Government would not give him an assistant secretary.

Summary

Farrer has taken the case to Northcote. JDH’s letter will show how overworked he is.

Summary

Huxley feels he can accept the Edinburgh lecture invitation.

Also tells JDH he is preparing a paper for Linnean Society on classification which will uphold evolution ["On the classification of the animal kingdom", J. Linn. Soc. Lond. (Zool.) 12 (1876): 199–226]. He has thrown overboard all his old ideas of definite demarcation. He will make a clean breast of it, and will bear hard on necessity of all such ideas as Haeckel’s in dealing with systematic zoology.

Summary

Further observations concerning the fertilisation of Coronilla by bees.

Reflections concerning the influence of cultivation (i.e., ploughing) upon variation.

Summary

Is struck by the amazing variations of the hardy Primula varieties.

Summary

If THF and James Caird [Enclosure Commissioner] approve of enclosed letter, CD will send it to Hooker.

Summary

Observations on Coronilla.

Summary

Rejoices at [Thiselton-Dyer’s] appointment.

Summary

Delighted to hear about Coronilla. Urges publication ["Fertilisation of papilionaceous flowers– Coronilla", Nature 10 (1874): 169–70].

Summary

In response to CD’s query, answers that he has frequently heard discussions at the Horticultural Society of a saccharine secretion from leaves of the lime and has no doubt it really does occur. [See Cross and self-fertilisation, p. 402.]

Summary

Concerns [James] Torbitt’s potato plants and the question of their trial by the Experimental Committee of the Royal Agricultural Society and a request to the Government for the needed expense. THF and CD to set a date for consultation with the botanist [William] Carruthers.

Summary

Is on the eve of another row with the Office of Works about his application for assistance.

Summary

Observations on bees’ biting holes in Lathyrus.

Suggests an experiment FD could carry out with Drosera.

CD is working on Mimosa, and "everything has turned out as perversely as possible".

Summary

Sends letter from Fritz Müller [11191] containing observations on plants and insects of South Brazil, with prefatory comments.

Summary

Quite agrees with JDH on inadvisability of Huxley’s taking on the Edinburgh lectures.

Is awaiting JDH’s memorial to the Board [of Works?] on his burdensome duties.

Glad to hear JDH finds ease in his work.

Summary

Thanks GJR for copy of his book [Christian prayer and general laws (1874)].

Discusses breeding and sterility.

Discusses experiments to test Pangenesis. Cites useful references.

Suggests GJR visit Kew gardens.

Summary

CD thinks better of "cousin paper" than GHD does.

With respect to GHD’s "viscous work", remembers endless discussions of movement of viscous matter 20 years back, apropos of movement of glaciers.

Summary

Comments on James Geikie’s ["Intercrossing of erratics", Scottish Naturalist 6 (1882): 193–200, 241–54]. Believes JG underrates importance of floating ice in explaining drift deposits.

Comments on origin of life and natural theology.

Recommends William Graham’s The creed of science [1881].