Summary

Insectivorous plants ready for publication. Asks price. Suggests advertisements in Nature and Gardeners’ Chronicle.

Summary

Sorry to hear price of 15s [for Insectivorous plants]. Asks that JM consider 14s. Fears small sale at 15s. It is his fault – he never can help making his books too big.

Summary

Fears Variation [2d ed.] will not be ready for Murray’s annual sale unless printer sends proof more quickly. Arrangements with Italian publishers.

Summary

Agrees to printing 1000 copies of Fritz Müller’s Facts and arguments for Darwin though he fears it is foolish. Lists seven publications for review copies.

Summary

He told Giovanni Canestrini that stereotypes [for Variation] would cost £10.

Reminds RC of his suggestion that a copy [of Origin, 5th ed.] be sent to Scientific Opinion for review.

Summary

Detailed questions about illustrations for [forthcoming] Expression.

Asks whether Times review has hurt sales of Descent.

The type on specimen page of Origin [6th ed.] seems clear, but lines are close. The cost is the great point for a wide circulation.

Summary

Sends list for complimentary copies and suggests various arrangements related to publication of Climbing plants.

Thinks a revised edition of Orchids is needed.

Summary

Climbing plants has sold better than he expected.

Thinks another 1000 of Origin may have to be printed; he has no corrections to make.

Summary

Reminds RC that he will lose £200 unless Variation [2d ed.] sells pretty well in the U. S. [and therefore Murray’s price for stereotypes should be kept low].

Is unwilling that Insectivorous plants be stereotyped until he has profited by criticisms and new facts. It would be better to wait a few years and correct the book thoroughly before stereotyping.

Summary

Discusses payment of £10 owed by Italians.

"No corrections for Voyage of Beagle [Journal of researches]."

Summary

Convinced Cross and self fertilisation is of permanent value, though an extremely dry, special subject. Thinks it will sell for many years and suggests a printing of 1500 copies. Asks that a good indexer be found and put to work. Appleton has agreed to publish it

and Orchids, [2d ed.], if Murray’s will supply stereotype plates.

Summary

Discusses page length [of Cross and self-fertilisation]. Doubts 1500 copies will be sold until lapse of some years.

Summary

Sends MS [of Forms of flowers]. Since sale is likely to be small, Murray may not want to publish it on usual terms. CD thinks it may be his last book and asks Murray to publish it on most favourable terms he can afford.

Summary

Has not heard from Appleton about an American edition [of Forms of flowers]. Asks how many copies Murray is printing.

Summary

Asks exact number of copies of recent printing of Origin.

Approves stereotyping Orchids,

but fears he cannot approve of stereotyping Cross and self-fertilisation and Forms of flowers. It is too soon for the latter, and he is too busy to correct the former.

Summary

Sends corrected sheets of Cross and self-fertilisation. How many copies will be printed? Asks whether he is correct in thinking that he has not been paid for the July printing.

Plans to correct Forms of flowers when new edition is needed.

Summary

Pleased that JM will allow two-thirds profits [on Erasmus Darwin] for he wants Krause to receive some profit.

He and his son [Francis] are preparing a large botanical work [Movement in plants], dry as dust, which he must publish on commission. He will be lucky to lose only £100.

Summary

Final arrangements for publishing Erasmus Darwin. If he were publishing on commission he would have printed only 1000 copies.

Summary

Thinks W. P. Garrison’s book [extracts from Journal of researches for juvenile readers] would serve as an advertisement for the Journal.

Disappointed at sale of Erasmus Darwin.

Summary

His family shake heads in dismal manner at his proposed title for his MS: "The Circumnutating Movements of Plants". Makes several other suggestions [none of which was adopted].