Sends plant specimens.

He and Thiselton-Dyer, working on with Nepenthes, have independently found the spiral vessels going to the gland. CD’s view that the glands are secretory organs is suggestive. When Nepenthes is as much done as CD wants,

he will turn to Cephalotus and Sarracenia.

Sends leaves and names by post.

Is writing everywhere for Drosophyllum.

Is deeply interested in Desmodium.

Had no intention of publishing on Nepenthes, the experiments were solely for CD’s "eating". Will continue with egg and raw meat experiments. Asks for advice on how to prove fluid is secreted by the glands.

Searles Wood’s letter is confused and would deny atavism if his principles were accepted.

Has time only to thank CD for the invaluable hints.

Encloses Lathyrus nissolia seeds.

Has had a week’s cessation of Nepenthes work.

Had to get out a paper for the Linnean Society on Thursday.

Has tried Mimosa albida in hothouse and found it wonderfully sensitive.

A military report from India praises his travel book.

He has noticed that Mimosa albida leaves closed only partially. It can be objected to CD’s theory that, if true, all, or at least more, species would close their leaves on application of water, unless he can show special injury done to M. albida by water.

Drosophyllum arrived; none of his observations turned out as he expected, but nevertheless he understands its habits better than he did. The secreting hairs that he observed may be explained as a mere chemical reaction.

Comments on various articles he has read.

Asks for Thiselton-Dyer’s notes.

Asks whether his observations on absorptive powers of glandular hairs of plants are new facts.

Asks for a Drosophyllum.

Comments on Francis Galton’s article in Fraser’s Magazine,

Greg’s Enigmas,

and Alphonse de Candolle’s Histoire des sciences.

Explains why he wants Drosophyllum.

Hopes JDH will be elected President of Royal Society.

Agrees with JDH on Greg’s Enigmas.

Would like Greg to visit Down if JDH comes as CD’s "protector".

Had thrown Geographical Society’s Proceedings in waste-basket, but as Strachey shows such admirable powers of discrimination he will fish it out and read the whole article.

Comments on 3d ed. of Sachs’s work [Lehrbuch der Botanik (1873)]. Wishes he were more controversial.

Has become wonderfully interested in Drosera and Dionaea.

9000 copies of Expression have been printed and most are sold.

Is drawing up the account of his crossing experiments. Requests JDH to add the families after nine genera, the names of which he encloses. Whenever there is no objection he would like to arrange the families in some sort of natural order.

Recommends Spalding’s article on instinct in Macmillan’s Magazine [27 (1873): 265–81].

Will see whether formic acid delays germination of fresh seeds.

Thinks primer not at all a folly. Refers JDH to Asa Gray’s "child’s book" [see 8363].

Wants to discuss raising a testimonial fund for Huxley and whether Huxley would stand this.

Thanks for Dionaea.

George Bentham’s last Linnean Society [Presidential] Address [Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1873): viii–xxix]. Admires it greatly.

CD’s recent work leads him to a different theory [from GB’s] on the separation of the sexes of plants.

Huxley has been at Down working with CD on Drosera – very helpful.

Agrees with JDH on G. J. Allman’s work. Approves of JDH’s text proposing GJA for Royal Medal.

Will be proud to see General Richard Strachey at Down – a truly great man.

Specimens of Drosera are waiting to be examined.

Has three common garden plants of which he needs to know correct names; will send specimens as soon as he hears JDH is back.

Starts tomorrow for visit to Farrer and Effie [Euphemia Farrer, daughter of Hensleigh Wedgwood]. Has not done such a feat [i.e., staying as a guest of someone outside the immediate family?] for 25 years.

Has been half killing himself with Drosera.

Asks JDH why so many plants are protected by a thin layer of waxy matter or with fine hairs.

Wrote to John Smith for a plant of Oxalis sensitiva, but it has not acted well.

Rejoices over Ayrton’s retirement. Hopes W. P. Adam, his successor, is a good sort of man.

Asks JDH to inquire of gardeners at Kew what they think about injury to plants from watering during sunshine. Wishes to experiment. He is already convinced that drops of water do not act as burning lenses.

Thanks JDH and Thiselton-Dyer for useful information.

Is surprised Mimosa albida is not sensitive to water. Asks that they try again, or lend it to him.

Remembers a walk in Brazil in great bed of Mimosa.

After JDH left, CD was very bad, with much loss of memory and severe shocks continually passing through his brain.

Obliged for information on Mimosa albida; if a vigorous plant behaves as JDH says, CD’s notions are all knocked on the head.

Anxious to read Tyndall’s answer to Tait [Nature 8 (1873): 399].

Drosera story too long for his strength. Essentially the leaves act just like stomach of an animal.

Burdon Sanderson will give some grand facts at BAAS about Dionaea.

Offers to help JDH with Nepenthes experiments. Finds experimental work always takes twice as much time as anticipated.