Summary

Apologises for the trouble he has caused RM. Encloses letter [13280] which has been returned to CD [by August Dupré, to whom CD had sent it in error].

Summary

AD’s case is a "curious one"; it seems impossible to explain as accidental coincidence.

[Letter sent in error to Raphael Meldola and apparently never forwarded to AD.]

Summary

Is sending chapter [of Earthworms] for FD to look over.

Comments on FD’s work on movements of mould.

Is glad to hear about Julius von Sachs and the circumnutation theory.

Summary

On F. M. Balfour.

Effects of ammonium carbonate on roots.

FM’s Pontederia case is very curious.

Summary

Thanks CD for his letter of 21 June [13212].

Is sending seeds of Oxalis sepium, which came from a cross between a plant with long pistils and another with pistils intermediate in length. Perhaps some of the plants that come from them will have short pistils.

FM does not know who told Dr B [Wilhelm Breitenbach] that he had lost a whole library in the flood. In fact, he lost only a few books that he had left behind thinking they were safe where they were.

Has taken the opportunity of a recent cold spell to test CD’s views on nyctitropism [night movements] in plants. Describes Pandanus and Oxalis sepium.

Has just received CD’s letter of 4 July and he is glad that his observations on the effects of rain on plants interested CD.

Summary

Is experimenting with effect of ammonium carbonate on chlorophyll and roots, but finds the results confusing.

Julius von Wiesner has published a book reinterpreting CD’s observations in Movement in plants [see 13422].

Summary

T. H. Farrer and James Caird express great interest in JT’s report. Have instructed CD to hold £90 for use by JT in spring. Caird asks that potatoes be sent to his gardener for trials.

Summary

Comments on the response to Movement in plants, which seems to have been successful.

Is going over revises of Earthworms.

Is investigating further his notion that leaves align themselves in the rain so as to shoot off drops of water.

Summary

Thanks CD for writing for papers to enter Geological Society. Will return Leslie Stephen’s letter. Has had a severe frost. Emma’s puppy died.

Summary

Cannot read signature on letter sent via JDH from Lima.

Summary

Thanks EK for his article [on CD’s Movement in plants].

Admires EK’s wide interest in science. Would like to send him something to publish in Kosmos.

Fears his new book [Earthworms] will hardly do, but will send sheets when printed so that EK can decide whether any chapter or a part of one will serve. Victor Carus’s consent would be needed for publication in Kosmos, and CD will ask for it.

Summary

Glad WB has arrived in Brazil. Suggests study of insects and study of fertilisation in Melastomataceae. Want of books is not a serious evil.

Summary

Asks FMB to translate letter from Ernst Krause [answering criticisms by Samuel Butler] and to send it to Nature [ "Unconscious memory – Mr Samuel Butler" 23 (1881): 288].

Summary

Thanks for letter expressing CD’s position with regard to experiments on living animals and for getting the letter printed in the Times [18 Apr 1881, Collected papers 2: 226–7].

Summary

Comments on FD’s notions about movement of multicellular and unicellular organisms.

Comments on an interesting letter received from J. B. Hannay [see 13222] which leads CD to speculate on the possibility of organisms inhabiting a red hot earth under great pressure.

Summary

Describes lecture at Royal Institution by J. S. Burdon Sanderson on movement of plants and animals; JSBS’s preliminary part was so long that he never got to the plants.

Comments on the triumph of the ladies in the voting at Cambridge.

Mentions F. Galton’s visit to Down, a call on the Huxleys, and a visit with the Duke of Argyll.

Tells a story about the absent-mindedness of Burdon Sanderson.

Summary

Visiting his son Horace.

Studying action of carbonate of ammonia. Finds similar looking Euphorbia root cells react differently.

Intrigued by Dischidia rafflesiana, whose pitchers manufacture manure-water that nourishes adventitious roots. Does JDH know histologist for detailed study?

Julius von Wiesner’s criticism of Movement in plants "vivisects" CD in "a most courteous but awful manner" [Das Bewegungsvermögen der Pflanzen (1881)].

Summary

Further details of pavement that sank from action of earthworms. There were plenty of castings, which first led him to think worms were involved.

Summary

Advises CD to "take no notice of Butler whatever" and gives his reasons.

Summary

CD interested by FM’s facts on movement of plants; has sent some to Nature ["Movement of leaves", Collected papers 2: 228–9]. Greatly admires FM’s work. Suggests an experiment to investigate movement in Phyllanthus.