To J. B. Innes 5 October 1877
Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.
Oct 5. 1877
Dear Innes,
It is a curious story about the tree.1 I am sorry that I am not a botanist; but I think the bush is the wild or single Guelder-rose,2 which is said to be very rare in Scotland. Next summer you could know whether it is the guelder-rose, as the exterior flowers on the corymb or head have considerably larger petals than the interior flowers.
I wish indeed you back here, but that I know is an idle dream.3 Our present man has been at peace with all mankind, wonderful to say, for several months.4 We are glad to hear that Mr Hoole will soon be here; some one, but I cannot remember who, was speaking to us in the highest terms about him.5
I cannot think of any local news to tell you. I am going on just as usual & working very hard with Frank,6 at plants—
Believe me | dear Innes, | Yours very sincerely | Charles Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Post Office directory of the six home counties: Post Office directory of the six home counties, viz., Essex, Herts, Kent, Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. London: W. Kelly & Co. 1845–78.
Summary
CD’s opinion of a specimen sent by JBI from an unknown tree, and the Ross-shire tale about it.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-11168
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- John Brodie Innes
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection)
- Physical description
- LS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11168,” accessed on 19 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11168.xml