Summary

Questions on breeding of plants: variation in established versus new varieties; predominance of wild species and old varieties when crossed with newer forms; predominance of males versus females; correlations between ease of hybridisation and tendency to vary and undergo cultivation; reversion; correlations between hybridisation and geographic distribution.

In WH’s Amaryllidaceae [1837], does he intend to say crossing is inimical to fertility?

[Sent via J. S. Henslow; note to amanuensis Syms Covington.]

Summary

Gives details of some crossing experiments with Eschscholzia.

Describes the grass Streptochaeta, which FM believes to be a primitive grass.

Relates some observations on maize that are well explained by Pangenesis.

Summary

Sends several plants with abortive anthers or bad pollen.

Summary

CD is right on heterostyly in Primula. High praise. Has confirmed it with Primula polyanthus.

Summary

Sends notes on fertilisation of Victoria regia tending to show that impregnation with foreign pollen increases productivity of seeds.

Summary

Sends camera outlines of pollen. Thinks the red longstyled ones are more sterile than the yellow.

Summary

Asks about removal of pollen-masses in bee orchid.

Will return home on 5th and go to Charles Langton’s on the 9th.

Summary

Mentions WED’s extraordinary discovery of some pollen-grains of different sizes. The observations must be followed up.

Summary

Observations of Brunonia and a case of a malvaceous flower, which never opened and was self-fertilised.

Summary

Describes experiments with sterility in Abutilon.

Describes hermaphroditism in a wild Begonia in Brazil.

Has been observing humble bees on Salvia.

Summary

Draws CD’s attention to a paper in American Naturalist [3 (1869): 109] describing honey-bees killed by entanglement in pollen-masses of Asclepias.

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Discusses the orchid specimens received from MTM. Remarks on the self-sterility of Cypripedium and other orchids.

Summary

Describes experiments to test the fertility of Abutilon, which appears self-sterile,

and briefly mentions dichogamy in Eschscholzia.

Summary

Describes results of his experiments with hollyhocks. Some varieties breed true even though growing near others. This suggests that their pollen is "pre-potent" over that of other varieties, which is not the case with most plants. Asks some questions on which he would be glad to have correspondent work. [See also 3170.]

Summary

Sends specimens of Menyanthes with observations and drawings [see Forms of flowers, p. 115].

Summary

Analysing results of last spring’s Primula experiments, CD infers pollen of short-styled plants "suits" long-styled plants.

Summary

Thanks for German version of Origin [1867].

Dipterous insects are adapted to eating pollen rather than only to sucking nectar. He describes such adaptations in two dipteran species.

Summary

Reports results of crosses between the two forms of Viola tricolor: 1. Female small flower crossed with male large flower yields all small flowers (cleistogamous self-fertilisation suspected); 2. Male small flower crossed with female large yields intermediate flowers; 3. Large flower crossed with large flower yields self-sterility symptoms.

Summary

Would like to borrow the bees that, as reported in Gardeners’ Chronicle, were sent to JOW with pollen-masses of orchids sticking to them. CD has never seen a bee visit an orchid. He believes he could identify the genus and perhaps species of the orchids the pollen comes from.

His health is too bad to attend the meeting [of British Association for the Advancement of Science].

Summary

Asked C. E. Bessey whether Lithospermum longiflorum was dimorphic like its relatives. Encloses CEB’s reply.