From J. D. Hooker 31 August 1867
Royal Gardens Kew
Aug 31/67.
Dear Darwin
I have given up Dundee—my Mother being very ill with a severe attack of Peritonitis & Enteritis, which has called me down to Norwich, where she lives.—1 My wife2 is there, & I return tonight to be back here again on Monday mg.
I most stupidly have forgotten the name of your Brazil friend, to whom I want to write badly as he can help us much.3
We are quite ready for any refuse Orchids you may be good enough to send us.4
Ever aff Yrs | J D Hooker
Self impregnated Victoria has given a wretched yield— The results of the impregnation by Chats-worth plants are now being ripened.5
It is quite curious how difficult I find it to get our best Foremen to keep an accurate register—though they have your instructions in writing. I have now had to order that every capsule ripened be reported to me & kept for my examination!
Footnotes
Bibliography
Allan, Mea. 1967. The Hookers of Kew, 1785–1911. London: Michael Joseph.
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Desmond, Ray. 1994. Dictionary of British and Irish botanists and horticulturists including plant collectors, flower painters and garden designers. New edition, revised with the assistance of Christine Ellwood. London: Taylor & Francis and the Natural History Museum. Bristol, Pa.: Taylor & Francis.
Summary
Has given up Scotland trip due to his mother’s illness.
Asks for Fritz Müller’s full name – "he can help us much".
Reports on self-impregnated Victoria and impregnation of Chatsworth plants. Difficult to get foreman [of gardens] to keep accurate register.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-5619
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 102: 176–7
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 5619,” accessed on 26 September 2022, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-5619.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 15