Summary

Admires Wallace’s Island life.

Criticises: 1. His view of similar plants on distant mountains – CD prefers previous low-land connections to Wallace’s summit–summit dispersal;

2. Source of warmth for ancient Arctic climate;

3. Origin of S. Australian flora.

CD’s favourite cases in Movement in plants.

Summary

On Wallace’s pension and Frank’s F.R.S.

Summary

Wants to see Frank become F.R.S. before he dies.

Pities Wallace and wants a pension for him very much.

Summary

Hopes to get another species of Desmodium from Mr Rollisson.

Summary

Supports idea to translate C. K. Sprengel, but opposes publishing it together with H. Müller because this would raise price of Müller’s useful book.

Confirms JDH’s observation that only tip of cabbage radicle shows geotropism.

Summary

Thanks for agreeing to propose Frank as F.R.S.

Would have enjoyed discussing Island life.

Summary

Neptunia seeds germinated by applying great heat. CD wants advice of Kew gardener, R. I. Lynch, on how to proceed.

Printed public oration for CD’s Cambridge doctorate enclosed.

Summary

Studying geotropism.

Experiments using exposure to frost to study nyctitropism are difficult to perform because species vary in frost tolerance.

Summary

Wants Oxalis specimen named; is fascinated by cotyledonary movements of the genus.

Summary

Requests seeds for experiments he and Frank are doing on automatic movements of cotyledons.

Summary

Responds, with some embarrassment, to JDH’s caution on Frank’s F.R.S. prospects.

Summary

Has been working hard on Mimosa albida. Could JDH ever make its opposite leaflets shut up close, as in sleep, when he irritated them? CD doubts they do, except in sleep. Thinks movement a protection against water.

Has examined only one specimen of Eucalyptus.

Cannot believe JDH’s results from cutting a hole in pitcher in his Nepenthes experiment.

Summary

CD and Frank working hard on cotyledonary movement.

CD suggests technique for growing Welwitschia.

Approves of J. D. Dana and of O. Heer.

Summary

Returned from visit.

Thinks several species of Eucalyptus would be worth experimenting on. Sends list.Mimosa albida would be worth its weight in diamonds. Neptunia worth more than diamonds.

Summary

At work on Movement in plants.

Discusses John Ball’s, G. de Saporta’s, and his own theories of higher plant origin. Their rapid development remains an "abominable mystery".

Frank is working in Würzburg.

Summary

Has decided to send R. L. Tait’s paper to the Royal Society.

Will try glycerine on Mimosa but doubts it will have an effect.

Summary

Extremely glad to hear of the aggregation in Nepenthes glands. Advises on experimenting with cubes of albumen – gives sizes, also suggests cubes of roast meat. Thanks for analyses of secretion of Nepenthes.

Asks for cutting of Acacia farnesiana.

Longs to examine a species of Desmodium with three leaflets. Has asked Frank [Darwin] to look for species of Desmodium with tendrils.

Summary

CD and Frank think they have proved that function of plant sleep is to protect leaves from injury by chilling radiation. Requests plants for experiment to determine whether underside of leaf is hardier than upper.

Summary

Cheered by JDH’s friendly words.

Wishes he could help JDH with geographical distribution, but the subject has gone out of his mind.

Summary

Woolner’s bust.

Smith’s health.

St Helena Umbelliferae.

Brambles.