Summary

Apologises for not having answered CD’s letters of 19 December [13564] and 4 January [13599] sooner.

Gives the results of his crossing experiments with Pontederia (Eichhornia) crassipes and P. azurea. Has also begun experiments on Heteranthera reniformis.

Thanks CD for sending three parts of the first volume of Bentham and Hooker’s Genera plantarum.

Summary

Is experimenting with effect of ammonium carbonate on chlorophyll and roots, but finds the results confusing.

Julius von Wiesner has published a book reinterpreting CD’s observations in Movement in plants [see 13422].

Summary

On F. M. Balfour.

Effects of ammonium carbonate on roots.

FM’s Pontederia case is very curious.

Summary

In answer to CD’s query, FM thinks the seeds he sent were those of the sensitive Mimosa.

Reports his observations of movement of leaves of Bauhinia grandiflora and B. brasiliensis. They do not "sleep" in hot weather.

Sends some seeds of Pontederia he had fertilised.

Summary

Believes heterostyly could be produced by artificial selection.

Summary

CD interested by FM’s facts on movement of plants; has sent some to Nature ["Movement of leaves", Collected papers 2: 228–9]. Greatly admires FM’s work. Suggests an experiment to investigate movement in Phyllanthus.

Summary

Requests seeds of Solanum rostratum.

Fritz Müller believes that in plants with anthers of different colours, bees collect from one set alone.

Suggests JET send copy of paper ["Flowers of Solanum rostratum and Cassia chamaecrista", Am. Nat. 16 (1882): 281–7] to Müller.

Summary

Wishes to borrow third part of Fritz Müller’s article on sexual selection in butterflies [Kosmos 2 (1877–8): 218–24].

Is forwarding material on stridulation, including Prof. Wood-Mason’s paper ["Note on Mygale stridulans", Trans. R. Entomol. Soc. Lond. (1877): 281–2], which should interest CD.

Summary

Thanks CD for his letter of 21 June [13212].

Is sending seeds of Oxalis sepium, which came from a cross between a plant with long pistils and another with pistils intermediate in length. Perhaps some of the plants that come from them will have short pistils.

FM does not know who told Dr B [Wilhelm Breitenbach] that he had lost a whole library in the flood. In fact, he lost only a few books that he had left behind thinking they were safe where they were.

Has taken the opportunity of a recent cold spell to test CD’s views on nyctitropism [night movements] in plants. Describes Pandanus and Oxalis sepium.

Has just received CD’s letter of 4 July and he is glad that his observations on the effects of rain on plants interested CD.

Summary

Bad news about Kosmos [ceasing publication].

Fritz Müller’s losses [in a flood]; "I have long looked on him as the best observer in the world."

EK’s astonishing account of crustacean that repairs its legs in an ancestral form seems to support Pangenesis, which has hardly any friends.

Summary

Commiserates on news of Wiesner and experiment on transmission of heliotropism. Asks whether he should review book for Nature.

Summary

Movement of plants to shake off water: FM’s invaluable observations.

Inquires about "bloom" on leaves.

Fertilisation of Melastomataceae, roles of the two sets of anthers.

Summary

Has sent FM’s account of Pandanus and Oxalis to Nature ["Leaves injured at night by free radiation", Nature 24 (1881): 459].

Is crossing heterostyled plants.

Hopes to get his notes on bloom together.

Summary

FM’s view on meaning of two-coloured stamens in many flowers; CD has been looking through his old notes on dimorphism for supporting evidence. Intends to send extract of FM’s letter to Nature or to Linnean Society.

Summary

Will exhibit the photos at the Entomological Society and have them identified.

Fritz Müller’s observations on relative abundance of mimicking and mimicked species.