Summary

Is satisfied with sales of his books.

Did not expect Orchids to sell more than 600 or 700 copies.

Only bad item is Expression, which astonishes him, since it sells well in Germany.

Asks size of printing of Cross and self-fertilisation; thinks 1500 would be ample.

Summary

At last, Expression is beginning to sell again.

Cooke has not yet decided on number of Variation [2d ed.] to print.

Summary

Sends cheque for Descent [2d ed., 1875 issue].

Has sent corrections to printer for Climbing plants

and Origin. Has ordered to print: 1250 copies of Origin,

500 of Climbing plants,

and 1000 of Naturalist’s voyage [Journal of researches].

Summary

Convinced Cross and self fertilisation is of permanent value, though an extremely dry, special subject. Thinks it will sell for many years and suggests a printing of 1500 copies. Asks that a good indexer be found and put to work. Appleton has agreed to publish it

and Orchids, [2d ed.], if Murray’s will supply stereotype plates.

Summary

Discusses page length [of Cross and self-fertilisation]. Doubts 1500 copies will be sold until lapse of some years.

Summary

Murray wishes to settle payments for Descent [2d ed., 11th thousand]. Over 500 copies of the 1000 printed have been sold.

Summary

Discusses use by correspondent of clichés from one of his books.

Summary

Insectivorous plants is out

and Climbing plants is at the printer’s.

He is now at work on the geological writings.

Thinks all of CD’s papers extremely interesting "for the spirit and the method".

Cites some misprints in Climbing plants.

Summary

Glad to hear that [German edition of] Insectivorous plants is published.

Thanks for errata in Climbing plants [2d ed.].

Sends list [missing] of his papers, with those certainly not worth translating marked with a red line.

Reports on work in progress.

Summary

Repeated maize crosses without success: i.e., in most cases yellow and red varieties did not produce fertile offspring.

Summary

Has written via John Murray to thank for SS’s biography of Thomas Edward (Smiles 1876).

Is happy to sign a memorial concerning a Civil List pension for Thomas Edward.

Summary

Approves the type for Orchids [2d ed.]. The printer should advise Murray that it will be 300 pages.

Summary

Discussing a reprint of South America.

Summary

Thanks for reviews of Insectivorous plants and of Climbing plants in Nation and American Journal Science [see 10329].

AG’s essay on seed dispersal ["Burs in the borage family", Am. Nat. 10 (1876): 1–4].

Preparing book on advantages of crossing [Cross and self-fertilisation].

Summary

Herbert Spencer invented the term "survival of the fittest". CD used it but found "natural selection" more convenient.

He has often spoken of natural selection’s destruction of individuals which do not come up to "proper standards of structure", which comes to nearly the same thing as RLT’s suggested distinction.

Summary

Sends sheets [of Cross and self-fertilisation].

Heliotypes for Expression delayed because new negatives must be made.

Thanks Herr Koch [of Schweizerbart] for copies of Coral reefs and Climbing plants.

Summary

Two parts of the second edition of the Italian translation of Variation are already out.

Expression will soon follow [published in 1878].

The publisher [Unione] asks CD to give him the right of Italian translations of his works.

Summary

No papers on heterostyly have appeared since 1873.

Summary

Expresses his pleasure in reading Die Schutzmittel der Blüthen gegen unberufene Gäste (Kerner 1876)..

Realises he has made some errors in Cross and self fertilisation.

Summary

Observations on expression and variation in cats.