Dear Sir

I have much pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your very polite note to me of the 14^th Inst.¹ If the Strawberries are of no use, and if I have anything else that is;—or if there is any information I can give you,—I will feel honoured and gratified in communicating it²

Your treatise on the Primulaceæ of which you so kindly sent me a copy was to me a communication of no ordinary interest.³ I had always intended writing my views to you on the subject. Many years ago I tried my hand on that family, but made nothing of them. The Linum tribe to which you alluded near the close⁴ had, the Summer before last occupied me a good deal. I was most anxious to incorporate a dash of the fine colour of L. rubrum on to L. album a perennial—L Corymbiflorum a yellow sps—or L. trygynum a brighter yellow still— But a more difficult intractable race I seldom before grappled with. Your treatise threw in upon me a gleam of light—and I suspect I had not used the sympathetic anthers—the mystery of the long and short ones being unknown to and unsuspected by me.⁵ Last Summer I had determined to test the matter as regards the Linum tribe. But having gone on a pretty extensive tour on the Continent my operations in that way were prevented from being carried out. I may try my hand anew this Summer. I may observe, however, that of one Cross I did save seeds viz^t between the L. Album (seed bearer) and L. Rubrum. But as the former was prone to to self fertilisation, I am not very confident of the Cross being effected. The plants of this cross are up—four in number & the foliage offers a difference from the female parent. So I hope it is true. I may have hit the right anthers. But if I remember rightly—the Anthers are far from being uniformly short & long as in the Primulæ. It calls for and deserves a close investigation which I mean to give it this season

I have got your admirable Book on the hybridisation of Orchids.⁶ I never felt myself so small, as I did on reading it, in all my life. You have achieved immortality by such a work. A tithe of its discoveries would be an enduring monument to any other man. I rejoice to see you still at work—and what next it is you are to astound & astonish us with I, & all the world stand on tiptoe of expectation to learn.

If you have occasion ever to come this way do honour me with a visit— Save D^r Hooker & D^r Lindley none in all England will be more welcome to me.⁷

Believe me | most faithfully yours | I Anderson Henry.

I have for many years tried to incorporate the Raspberry with the Strawberry. I have one brood of plants with wiry foliage some having 4 divisions in the leaf. Myatts Pine was here also the seed bearer—a soft foliaged of variety. This coming Season I am to have an alliance if possible between the Bramble & raspberry. When I was at Woodend (my place in Perthshire) I found an upright growing variety of the Bramble which I had removed into the Garden for my intended manipulations. I will be glad to let you know the result.

If you would wish me to try anything to serve you in any way I will very gladly undertake it

Charles Darwin Esqre F.R.S. | &c &c &c