Condolences on death of CD’s brother Erasmus. Recalls first meeting CD in Erasmus’ rooms over 40 years ago.
Comte de Paris requests an orchid from CD for his huge collection.
JDH responds to CD’s criticism of York address.
Arruda Furtado could work on mystery of buried cypress trunks in the Azores.
Pleasure in reading Earthworms.
Buying land to build a cottage.
Finishing palms for Genera plantarum after three years’ work.
On plants CD requested.
Frank should work on Dischidia.
Work on palms.
Overloaded with reading.
Benjamin D. Jackson will edit new Steudel’s Nomenclator.
JDH’s impressions of Lyell’s Life and letters, edited by Mrs K. M. Lyell [1881].
Thanks CD for his endowment of new Steudel’s Nomenclator [later to become Index Kewensis].
K. White’s gruesome ballad "Gondoline" frightened JDH as a child.
B. D. Jackson’s plan for new Steudel Nomenclator approved. JDH asks for CD’s cheque.
Politics at Kew led to a letter of thanks to CD from the First Commissioner for his gift.
Falconer’s misbehaviour.
Geology of Khashia [Khasi] mountains. Speculations on mountain building and origin of Himalayas.
Wants catalogue of small islands that contain peculiar plants. Thinks complete floras of islands in various stages of depression [subsidence] would provide good data.
James Wilson reports case of salmon hybrids.
Herrings inhabit freshwater lake in Scotland during winter.
JDH will edit juror reports for the Great Exhibition.
Flora of New Zealand.
Reconsidering variability of insular species.
Becoming convinced of the probability that the southern flora is a fragmentary one – all that remains of a great southern continent.
Royal Society votes its Royal Medal for 1853 to CD. JDH reports the debate and vote at the Royal Society Council.
Honoured for Coral reefs
and Cirripedia.
List of most anomalous Leguminosae [from George Bentham].
Is relieved his book [Himalayan journals] has been well received and glad he has successfully completed it.
JDH summarises letter from Humboldt.
JDH answers CD’s questions on glacial action in Himalayas.
Birth of JDH’s second child.
Asks CD’s view of "highness" and "lowness" in animals. Gives his own for plants; extent of deviation from type, e.g., floral parts deviating from leaf.
Reading B. C. Brodie’s Psychological inquiries [1854].
JDH on "highness" of Coniferae: they are genuine Dicotyledons, not a link to cryptogams; that is a geologists’ fallacy. Thus they are highest plants in Carboniferous.
Does not agree with CD’s "elastic" species theory. Long correspondence with Lyell on this.
JDH and F. W. Binney identify Calamites specimens as pith casts. They are cryptogams related to, but higher than, Lycopodiaceae and contradict progression.
Insects found in coal.
Lyell says Stonesfield slate marsupials are actually placentals.
JDH reading Alexander Braun on individuality ["Das Individuum der Pflanze in seinem Verhältniss zur Species", Abh. K. Akad. Wiss. Berlin (Phys. Kl.) (1853): 19–122].
Fossil leaves from Disko Island.
JDH to begin working out the botanical geography of the polar sea.
Has not forgotten CD’s request on aberrant species.
Has taken a house on Richmond Hill.
