Robert Fenn exhibited potatoes at the Horticultural Society which showed general failure of graft-hybrids and provided an example of reversion to a wild Peruvian tuber resulting from cross-fertilisation.

Thanks CD for the English edition of his brother’s book [Fritz Müller, Facts and arguments for Darwin (1869)]

and for CD’s memoir on orchids ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Sends notes on variation in plants.

Mr Ford is attending to CD’s drawings [for Descent].

Death of AG’s wife.

Time of his arrival.

Will bring bark story with him.

Thanks for a paper on phyllotaxy.

Will do his best on the tooth [sent by CD] but does not put much weight on conclusions based on a single tooth of a horse.

Darwin attacked by three clergymen at BAAS meeting [Exeter, 1869].

Reports on the differences of growth and development of plants of three species grown at Geneva from seed collected at different localities. Forwards seed for CD to plant and observe differences in development.

Carl Linsseer has published a memoir on the times of flowering, foliation, etc. of diverse species in different parts of Europe [Mem. Acad. Imp. Sci. St.-Pétersbourg 7th ser. 11 no. 7 (1868)] and concludes that the northern forms are more forward and that this is hereditary. AdeC’s experiments carried out on annuals, show only the effects of heredity; probably the direct action of physical conditions affects development, at least in perennial species.

Is annoyed that a new French edition of Origin [1870] has been prepared without making use of the corrections CD made in the 5th English edition [1869].

Thanks CD for assistance concerning sponge specimens. Mentions Englishmen who have sent specimens. J. S. Bowerbank has not answered requests.

Sends articles dealing with sponges and Medusae. Cites passages for CD to read. Suggests passages from Entwicklungsgeschichte der Siphonophoren [1869].

Describes meeting with Sars and his trip to Norway.

Asks CD to send 5th ed. of Origin so Mlle Royer can use it in her work. Regret they have upset CD to the extent that he would reproach them so untowardly.

On endemic flora and fauna of Portugal.

Sends a list of queries for AG.

Asks whether AG can supply specimens for illustrations [for Descent]. Hopes Mr Ford will do the drawings.