Dear Darwin

By all means let Mr Romaine come here & I will do what I can—¹ Our best grafters &c. get such good places abroad, that we cannot keep them, but he shall have the best aid & advice that we can give. Why should he not experiment at Kew himself? I would put plants & all appliances at his service: the only thing is, that he must himself daily inspect his own work:— I cannot get anything of the kind done for myself even, with any approach to skill & care—but I have plants & appliances to any amount.

I am now writing to the Board about a Physiological Laboratory, which Sir Phillip Joddrel offers to build, & which I hope we may get as an adjunct to the new Herbarium building—² Mr Romanis is just the work which should be conducted in a Laboratory—which should be at the service of such a man as Mr Romanes, on payment of a small fee for materials &c which should be had from the Govt Grant or other funds.

This is the sort of encouragement that I think Govt: should give to original research— Let Govt. find the appliances, & buildings, & private enterprise & Colleges, Universities &c find the workers & funds when they require it for their support. The R.S. will have abundance to repay workers at present, & I am not sure but that it would be well if the Gilchrist works well, to have a similar one raised by Subscription.³

Ever yr affec | J D Hooker