Enquires about fairy rings.

Regarding Cytisus graft with yellow flowers, CD thinks nurseryman has sold Cytisus adami to JJW’s brother in place of C. purpureus. This explains apparent "sport". [P.S. on envelope:] C. purpureus seeds freely. C. adami never does.

Thanks MTM for his excellent review [of Insectivorous plants]

and for his trouble about the gooseberry.

Asks CD’s opinion of an experiment on Drosera.

Discusses revisions for Variation, 2d ed.

Discusses experiments involving graft-hybrids.

Alludes to Pangenesis.

Describes difficulty of conditions for the experiment with Drosera suggested by THF.

WTT-D and E. R. Lankester wish to visit CD.

Has corrected some references for new edition of Variation.

Acknowledges with thanks "Mr Fitzgerald’s magnificent work" [R. D. Fitzgerald’s Australian orchids, part 1 (1875)]. [See 10069.]

Fairy-rings grow because the fungal spawn radiates outwards then dies off at the centre as it becomes exhausted. The verdure of the grass depends upon the decay of the fungus supplying nitrogenous manure. Rings are formed mainly in upland pastures poor in nitrogenous matter. Gives examples of woodland fungi that form rings.

JJW is to think no more about mistake [regarding Cytisus graft].

Describes experiments designed to produce graft-hybrid. Has achieved adhesion in great majority of experiments. Too early to tell what ultimate success will be.

Has read Insectivorous plants and is to review it for the Spectator.

Thanks for Insectivorous plants.

First proof of errata slip for inclusion in Insectivorous plants 2d thousand.

Thanks RDF for a part of his book [Australian orchids, vol. 1 (1875–82)]; suggests further observations RDF could make and defends some of his own conclusions.

Thanks for JSBS’s essays; wishes he had said something on Lister’s observations. Speculates on the fungoid nature of smallpox and why there is seldom re-infection.

Discusses digestion by Drosera, the action of its secretion being the same as that of gastric juice.

Reports the possible extinction of the Macartney Rose.

Wants to study hereditary mental characters to see whether they are limited by sex – an idea CD holds provisionally and which she doubts. She sends a questionnaire form that she asks CD to criticise. Has read Francis Galton [Hereditary genius (1869)].

Thanks CD for Insectivorous plants.

Is coming to London and hopes to visit Down.

Thanks AWB for review in Nature [probably review of Insectivorous plants, 12 (1875): 206–9, 228–31].