Summary

Forwards newspaper reports by growers of Torbitt’s potatoes. Torbitt is in much distress and CD fears all his work will be thrown away unless he is aided.

Summary

Encloses extract from a letter from Fritz Müller about humming-birds visiting Passiflora, "as a caution about Passiflora in contrast with Tacsonia".

[Signed with CD’s name by Emma Darwin.]

Summary

Encloses seeds from Fritz Müller, of a species of Passiflora, fertilised by a humble-bee.

Summary

Recommends Hermann Müller’s Die Befruchtung der Blumen [1873].

Summary

Suggests a reference to Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 1 Dec 1873, p. 497, when THF takes up Coronilla.

Summary

Delighted to hear about Coronilla. Urges publication ["Fertilisation of papilionaceous flowers– Coronilla", Nature 10 (1874): 169–70].

Summary

Describes difficulty of conditions for the experiment with Drosera suggested by THF.

Summary

Thanks THF for information from Colonial Office on population statistics showing the inhabitants of some areas are far from becoming sterile.

Summary

CD is delighted with report from THF about activity of worms in Roman-British ruins at Abinger.

Summary

Thanks THF for the diary of worm activity at Abinger site.

Summary

Informs THF that Annals and Magazine of Natural History will publish his paper [see 6384].

Summary

Has started experiment to see whether particles of stone become rounded in the gizzards of worms.

Summary

Advises THF that best plan is to investigate the part certain structures play with all plants or orders, instead of describing means of fertilisation in particular plants. Naturalists value observations far more than reasoning.

Summary

Dislikes the use of the term "degradation" as applied to the closed flowers of Viola species. Species with such self-fertilising flowers also have flowers adapted for crossing. The development of closed flowers adapted to ensure a sufficient stock of seed is progressive.

Summary

Hooker approves of Torbitt’s plan [concerning potato experiments]. Torbitt, wine and spirit merchant in Belfast, highly respectable.

Summary

Wishes to call on THF to discuss the situation with regard to Horace Darwin [who wishes to marry THF’s daughter, Emma Cecilia (Ida)].

Summary

THF’s copybook has cleared up all points. The castings are invaluable. Encloses further queries [missing].

Summary

Is worried about brick particles in worm-castings. Asks THF for castings from a site where possible error would be avoided.

Summary

Was aware of Maine’s view but never thought of its extension to morals. Cannot avoid thinking that personal property like flint tools must have "strictly belonged to individuals as much as a bone to a dog".

Summary

Confesses to intense hatred of the bee [orchid] for its anomalous perpetual self-fertilisation.