My dear Sir

Had I not been lately much over worked I sh^d have written before to tell you how much I & others have been interested in the result of my trial of the locust-dung.² No less than 7 grasses have germinated, & are now growing well; they belong to at least 2 kinds, & I hope they will flower.³ The seeds were in the middle of the pellets. Sir C. Lyell was so much interested in the case that he is going to cite it in a new edit. of the Principles.⁴

You said that some persons believe that weeds are thus introduced, & I sh^d be much obliged for any information on this head.⁵ The Linn. Soc. has been so much pressed with papers that the Council is only now sending your paper on Bonatea to press. They want it shortened but I hardly see how this can be done; it w^d be a pity if the concluding extraneous remarks sh^d be left out; but perhaps this will be done; I do not know as yet.⁶

The Council c^d not possibly afford to engrave all the figures but will give one wood-block.⁷ I am sorry to tell you that 2 authors viz. D^r Hildebrand of Bonn & Delpino in Italy have been attending with great care & have published on the fertilization of the Asclepiadæ.⁸ I wrote before to thank you & say how valuable to me y^r information on expression has been,⁹ & I sh^d be very thankful for any further information.

Believe me my dear Sir | with sincere thanks | yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

I have had inserted your 2 or 3 corrections into your paper.—¹⁰