Summary

Neptunia is evidently a hopeless case.

Good news that fluid of Nepenthes is acid.

No discovery ever gave him more pleasure than proving a true act of digestion in Drosera.

Has become profoundly interested in Desmodium. Asks whether Frank [Darwin] can look over the whole dried collection of the genus.

Has JDH any seed of Lathyrus nissolia?

Summary

Frank, who has been reclusive and very hardworking, is returning from Wales after a period of mourning for Amy.

Summary

Hopes to get another species of Desmodium from Mr Rollisson.

Summary

Urges Frank to reconsider his refusal of Cambridge Examinership.

Summary

JDH has heard from Asa Gray, who approves of the botany primer [Botany (1876)].

Summary

Admires Wallace’s Island life.

Criticises: 1. His view of similar plants on distant mountains – CD prefers previous low-land connections to Wallace’s summit–summit dispersal;

2. Source of warmth for ancient Arctic climate;

3. Origin of S. Australian flora.

CD’s favourite cases in Movement in plants.

Summary

On Nepenthes.

Asks JDH, if he publishes, to mention CD’s work on digestive powers of Drosera so that charges of plagiarism will not be made against CD later when he publishes.

Describes at length his observations on the movements of Desmodium.

Summary

CD is furious at the prospect of Lankester’s being black-balled by the Linnean Society. He plans to solicit support from various members and to come up with Frank for the voting.

Summary

Mimosa prostrata, described by John Lindley as M. marginata, native of Brazil.

Who supplies CD with distilled water and chemicals?

Summary

Sends leaves and names by post.

Is writing everywhere for Drosophyllum.

Is deeply interested in Desmodium.

Had no intention of publishing on Nepenthes, the experiments were solely for CD’s "eating". Will continue with egg and raw meat experiments. Asks for advice on how to prove fluid is secreted by the glands.

Searles Wood’s letter is confused and would deny atavism if his principles were accepted.

Summary

Wants to propose Frank for F.R.S. now, with election in 1882.

Summary

Acropera anatomy puzzling. Malaxis anatomy deciphered.

Summary

Extremely glad to hear of the aggregation in Nepenthes glands. Advises on experimenting with cubes of albumen – gives sizes, also suggests cubes of roast meat. Thanks for analyses of secretion of Nepenthes.

Asks for cutting of Acacia farnesiana.

Longs to examine a species of Desmodium with three leaflets. Has asked Frank [Darwin] to look for species of Desmodium with tendrils.

Summary

CD notes growth of Royal Society may force it to hire officers.

Speculates on cold resistance of bacterial germs.

Will communicate to Royal Society Frank’s paper on the ingestion of solid particles by the protoplasmic protrusions of Dipsacus glands.

CD working on plant dimorphism.

Summary

Asks JDH to arrange for some melastomads to be sent to him.

Summary

Visiting his son Horace.

Studying action of carbonate of ammonia. Finds similar looking Euphorbia root cells react differently.

Intrigued by Dischidia rafflesiana, whose pitchers manufacture manure-water that nourishes adventitious roots. Does JDH know histologist for detailed study?

Julius von Wiesner’s criticism of Movement in plants "vivisects" CD in "a most courteous but awful manner" [Das Bewegungsvermögen der Pflanzen (1881)].

Summary

Thanks for name of grass.

Plans to go to Isle of Wight on 17 July.

Frank cannot come to Kew, as he will be reading this long vacation at Cambridge.

Delighted with Bentham’s Presidential Address [Linnean Society, 1868].

Summary

CD hopes Woodward was not the Athenæum reviewer. "The manner in which he drags in immortality, & sets the Priests at me … is base".

JDH has made CD feel he can "face a score of savage reviewers".

H. C. Watson has written to him in tremendous praise of the Origin.

Summary

Encloses quasi-hybrid Laburnum.

Suggests a new view of symmetry of flowers.

Will discuss coal and species sketch at Oxford [BAAS meeting (1847)].

Summary

Praise for Movement in plants, lately arrived.

Praise for Wallace’s Island life

and astonishment that he could be a spiritualist.

Differs with Wallace on age of SW. Australian flora. JDH ascribes its peculiarities to isolation by an inland sea.