Dear M^r. Darwin

I did not expect the arrival of any one for the Cypripedium quite so soon, but it is all right, and will bloom in a fortnight or three weeks.² It should be kept in a cold frame. Of course you may mutilate the flowers to any extent you please. The plant I should like back when you have done with it.

As to the Gladiolus experiment,—your statement is quite correct, and I tried the experiment carefully.³ A. would not fertilize A. (I wish it would)—but B.C.D. would fertilize A. to any amount, and I have done this in many cases,—in fact I get all my seeds by thus crossing.⁴ I find somewhat the same in Epimediums, but cannot speak so certainly.

Have you ever observed in Dianthus (or in other species, I have only in Dianthus) that in a pan of seedlings several will always come with three instead of two seed leaves, and that whenever this is so three true leaves follow? I have often noticed this, and intended, last year, to grow them separately, to see the result on the bloom, but something prevented me.

Once more. Have you ever studied “Dielytra spectabilis”?⁵ I cannot cross it, or seed it, though I have tried this 6 years. If you can put me up to that, I shall be much obliged

Y^r. very truly | A Rawson