Dear M^r Farrer.

In case I may miss you at the Board of Trade. I write a note to tell you what I have done.¹ In the first place I saw M^r Jenkins the Secretary of the Royal Agr^l. Society² who says he has no doubt that the Experimental Committee would undertake a trial of the Potato plants in various localities on being secured in the matter of expense.

Then I went to M^r Carruthers, F.R.S. the Botanist of the Society & of the British Museum, and had a long conversation with him, the gist of which you will find in the accompanying letter which I requested him to write to me—³

He does not think M^r. Torbitt has got so far advanced in his experiments, as were the hard potatoes submitted to trial by the Royal Ag^r. Society in 1874.⁴

I send you an account of these experiments, and I think you might send it & M^r Carruther’s letter to M^r. Darwin for his consideration.⁵

Then I would suggest a meeting of M^r. Darwin, M^r Carruthers, yourself & me to talk the matter over, before asking the Government to undertake any expense. You may fix it either here or at the Board of Trade; any day up to & inclusive of Thursday next, & not earlier than 3 o’clock. M^r Carruthers is at our disposal till Thursday— So if you & M^r Darwin fix place & day, & let me know. I shall get M^r Carruthers to attend—

Believe me | Very truly yours. | James Caird.

T. H. Farrer Esq.