Summary

THF’s copybook has cleared up all points. The castings are invaluable. Encloses further queries [missing].

Summary

Suggests that the height of the water which formed the shelves in Glen Roy was determined not by the height of the blocking glacier but by the height of a col. Notes problems in the idea.

Summary

Reports some observations on the fertilisation of wheat which WED might follow up.

Summary

Sends a copy of Expression and his autograph.

Summary

How to bargain on Horace Darwin’s marriage-settlement: Francis received £5000; Horace could receive more as an inducement for the Farrers to increase Ida’s dowry.

Summary

Is pleased that AdeC is interested in the Primula case ["Dimorphic condition of Primula", Collected papers 2: 45–63]. Is pursuing analogous experiments on other plants and on seedlings raised from the unions.

CD’s "large work" progresses slowly owing to ill health and his work on Orchids.

CD is not surprised that AdeC is unwilling to admit natural selection – "the subject hardly admits of direct proof or evidence. It will be believed in only by those who think that it connects & partly explains several large classes of facts".

Hopes AdeC will publish on Quercus

and rejoices that he intends to return to the study of geographical distribution. No one can claim to have read AdeC’s truly great work on that subject [Géographie botanique (1855)] with more care than CD.

Summary

He is travelling overnight by train from London to Pantlludw and will wake A. R. Ruck with a morningade on his flute.

Summary

Thanks for maps.

George [Darwin] failed at St John’s [College, Cambridge] and will stay another year at school.

Summary

Sends some tickets so that CD’s son might see [an unspecified] model.

Summary

Discusses matters relating to the Down Friendly Society.

Summary

Horns of sheep [see Descent 1: 289 n. 26].

Summary

Sorry to hear of Mrs Hooker’s health and domestic problems. Wishes natural selection had produced neuters who would not flirt or marry.

Will be eager to hear Cameroon results.

Wishes JDH would discuss the "mundane glacial period". Still believes it will be "the turning point of all recent geographical distribution".

Pollen placed for 65 hours on apparent (CD still thinks real) stigma of Leschenaultia has not protruded a vestige of a tube.

"Oliver the omniscient" has produced an article in Botanische Zeitung with accurate account of all CD saw in Viola.

Asa Gray’s "red-hot" praise of Orchids [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 34 (1862): 138–51].

Summary

Asks about insects and seeds on leaves of Pinguicula.

Summary

Urges Frank to reconsider his refusal of Cambridge Examinership.

Summary

CD continues very ill.

His only work is a little on tendrils and climbers. Asks whether all tendrils are modified leaves or whether some are modified stems.

Last number [Jan 1864?] of Natural History Review is best that has appeared.

Summary

Family and local news, and memories of old times.

CD’s youngest son, Horace, is too delicate to go to school.

CD has had a bad summer, is still ill, can do very little work – "Botany … is all that I am good for".

Summary

Dispatches a chapter [of Movement in plants] for FD to look over.

Summary

CD thinks better of "cousin paper" than GHD does.

With respect to GHD’s "viscous work", remembers endless discussions of movement of viscous matter 20 years back, apropos of movement of glaciers.

Summary

Writes about their new billiard table.

Summary

Discusses GHD’s ripple theory. Asks him how they are formed.

Delighted to hear that light is dawning in GHD’s eyes on the planetary system.