My Dear Sir

Since I last wrote to you I have been pursuing my observations on the growth of the Droseræ.¹

A plant of D. Capensis flowered last summer and I sowed the seeds in the autumn as soon as they were gathered. As usual all came up in the form of minute examples of the D. rotundifolia like those of D. spathulata which I sent you on a previous occasion.² They were densely crowded together in two seed pans. Towards the end of April last I pricked out in separate pots many of those grown in one of the seed-pots,—and these are now about three inches high, and their leaves, as you will see by the enclosed leaf, have all attained the normal form of D. Capensis. The plants in the second pot were left in their crowded condition, alive & healthy,—but battling with one another and with the Sphagnum amongst which they grew—. You will find an illustration of the results in the enclosed box. Nearly all the plants are still in the state of D. rotundifolia. A few (one of which is in the box) lifted their heads above the rest, and have reached the state of the English D. Inte⁠⟨⁠rmedia⁠⟩⁠ but not one in the pot has yet developed into the true form of D. Capensis³—yet the plants have all been grown side by side and under exactly similar conditions with the single exception that those in separate pots have had space for their free development and the others have not.

I trust that you are having a favorable summer in the matter of health

I am My Dear Sir | Ever yours | W. C. Williamson