Comments on hybridisation; cites authorities. Sends book by Wilhelm Olbers Focke [Die Pflanzen-Mischlinge (1881)].

Will support the petition for a pension for Wallace.

CD’s paragraph [about Wyville Thomson, see 12796] was so good that if he had written it he would have sent it to the printer, but [for CD] it is best to refrain.

Thanks for information on the slope of ground at Worcester.

CD’s passion now is worms.

Sends Movement in plants. While correcting proof, CD remembered an old article by HHJ, which he regrets not including.

Asks CD to sign his guarantee.

Reports events at Cambridge involving Horace.

Comments on her new book [Life and her children (1880)]. "… you have treated evolution with much dexterity and truthfulness".

Surprising thought that diseases of plants should illustrate human pathology.

Will recommend A. B. Frank’s article in a German encyclopedia, on diseases of plants, to Francis Darwin.

Gives JP a good case of regeneration in plants – the radicle of the common bean. That plants have little power of regeneration is not difficult to understand by anyone who believes in Pangenesis, "if such a man exists … There is reason to think that my imaginary gemmules have small power of passing from cell to cell."

Refers to early experiments in which he tried to produce galls in plants by injecting poisons.

No summary available.