My dear Farrer—

Once again I thank you heartily & I hope that you will give my true thanks to M^r Caird.¹

It seems to me that Hooker & M^r Caird hardly understand the scale on which M^r Torbitt works when they say that 100 w^d be sufficient; in which success of his scheme depends on his raising annually many thousand [illeg] seedlings: I have been informed not by Mr T. only that he has 10 acres of land full of varieties, & that he devotes the whole of a greenhouse to propag forward the best seedlings which are first started in flower-pots.— The labour of harvesting separating labelling examining &c [illeg], saving the seed &c & keeping an account of all the varieties must be immense. I ⁠⟨⁠have⁠⟩⁠ now got with your cheque for £85  170£, which I think will be ample.² Though it appears to me useless to write to the Times,. [nevertheless], as soon as I receive an answer to some queries sent to M^r Torbitt, I will draw up a letter, such as I had thought of writing to the Times, & will send 2 or more copies to you & M^r Caird so that his [generous] coadjutor may understand M^r Torbitts plan & see what he has done & why I think favourably of the scheme.— I can keep the letter to the Times in reserve, if next year it sh^d still appear to me desirable that M^r T. sh^d continue his work.³ Anyhow neither you nor Mr Caird shall be again troubled with the subject.—

I am, however, perplexed, as M^r Caird’s writes “I dont think the 100£ sh^d be given to the experimenter unless he can show good reason.” I will not now not send your cheque of £85 until M^r Caird & you have read what I will write to the Times & you can then decide whether I shall return the cheque to you

I have from yourself brother & Huxley 85 £.—⁴

Yours sincerely

March 9^th 1880 | To T. H. Farrer