His friend Trenham Reeks [Secretary of Museum of Practical Geology] would give Carlyle information and help. This note will serve as introduction.

Has been ill (violent skin inflammation).

Has done hardly anything except tend to his experiments. Repeating Primula work has verified former results and very curious facts on sterility of homomorphic seedlings.

Wonders who reviewed Orchids for London Review & Wkly J. Polit..

Asa Gray also infatuated with Orchids.

"I have received a letter from Dr. Asa Gray this morning who says ""pray ask Mr. Trubner to send at once 1/2 dozen copies of the Orchid book"". Will you be so good as to attend to it."

Orders paper suitable for drying plants.

Remembers JDH’s encouragement when he was "utterly weary of life".

Marvellous about European forms in Fernando Po.

C. V. Naudin will publish a book on hybridity ["Nouvelles recherches sur l’hybridité dans les végétaux", Nouv. Arch. Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris 1 (1865): 25–176; part also in Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) (1863)].

CD fears Naudin has underestimated distribution of pollen by insects.

Melastomatous plants are ready for his work on meaning of two sets of anthers.

Very curious about Masdevallia.

George [Darwin] observing orchids.

Adaptation of Herminium beats almost every other orchid.

Encloses answers and corrections [concerning Orchids]. Thanks HGB for translating it.

Thanks JHB for specimen of Corallorrhiza;

would like some seeds of Corydalis claviculata.

Thanks JB for "orchid flowers with Diptera".