Summary

Encloses some notes on maize that may be useful.

Summary

Praises JS’s experimenting.

Has he ever studied the relative fertility of varieties? CD very interested in this subject.

Discusses Acropera.

Wants to quote JS on Zea [Variation 1: 321].

CD sends his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63].

Summary

Repeated maize crosses without success: i.e., in most cases yellow and red varieties did not produce fertile offspring.

Summary

Cautions FD about fluid in labellum of Coryanthes.

T. H. Farrer is enthusiastic about FD’s papers.

Believes humming-birds fertilise many American flowers.

Mentions his reply to FD’s criticisms ["Pangenesis: Mr Darwin’s reply to Professor Delpino", Sci. Opin. 2 (1869): 426; Collected papers 2: 158–60].

Suggests that FD study fertilisation of Gramineae.

Summary

Reports making graft-hybrid potatoes.

Has found direct action of pollen in Mays [Zea] crosses and apple-trees.

F. Delpino has asked for CD’s address.

Summary

Has finished correcting Primula paper [see 4332].

Has presented paper on monoecious spikes of maize [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 213–20].

Summary

Thanks FG for his report [on the statistical validity of CD’s experiments; see Cross and self-fertilisation, pp. 16–18]. Discusses FG’s comments, his own experiments, and the means by which the results may be analysed.

Summary

Thanks for subscription.

Reports experiments with wheat.

Sends notes on producing varieties by pruning.

Summary

CD overwhelmed by THH’s praise.

Agrees with his reservations about species theory but not wholly about sterility and gives his reasons for differing.

On Natural History Review, Hugh Falconer, and R. Owen.

Has written a review [Collected papers 2: 87–92] of H. W. Bates’s paper ["Contributions to an insect fauna of the Amazon valley", Trans. Linn. Soc. Lond. 23 (1862): 495–566].

Summary

Gives exceptions to maize being monoecious, as CD claims in Cross and self-fertilisation; reversion may be cause of hermaphrodite flowers observed.

Sends paper on potatoes and asks CD to republish.

Summary

Thanks for copy of Cross and self-fertilisation.

Reports instances of cross-fertilisation in maize,

and succession of forms of flowers on Isle of Wight.

Asks CD’s suggestions for his second edition of Julius von Sachs’s Text-book of botany.

Summary

CD gives suggestions concerning FD’s experiments on the radicles of roots. Asks him to find out whether J. von Sachs tried beans. Should also try other gramineous plants.

Bernard looking forward to his father’s return.

Summary

JDH discusses his and others’ experiments on survival of seeds. Impressed with resistance of some seeds and rapid decomposition of others. He wonders about "vitality" in the abstract.

Summary

Has a magnificent bush of Porlieria. There is no vestige of bloom; CD will test for sleep movements. Reports successful experiments on temperature-induced sensitivity of radicles.

Summary

Describes sleep movements in Porlieria and his experiments on movements of radicles.

Thalia flowers have interesting mechanism to ensure cross-fertilisation.

Summary

Sends Primula MS, which CD has promised to communicate to Linnean Society [see 4213].

Will soon send results on peloric Antirrhinum.

Summary

Would like some of his notes. Has been looking at roots of Linum, cucurbits, larch, and orchids. Is content that mother should teach Bernard whatever religion she likes.

Summary

Encourages JS to continue work on coloured primrose. No one has noticed this since Gärtner. CD will send his own data for JS’s use and will read MS when ready. Advises JS to repeat experiments if evidence is weak – for his reputation’s sake and for satisfaction at fully establishing a fact.

Treviranus made a slip of pen in writing of Primula longiflora as short-styled.