Forms of flowers, translated by Édouard Heckel, is published.
Cross and self-fertilisation has only sold 450–500 copies.
Origin sells regularly; he looks forward to a cheaper edition.
Forwards letter from Victor Kennedy reporting on the growth of JT’s potatoes in W. Ireland.
Recounts the experiments on Fechner’s law he has found in Helmholz; they are on the smallest perceptible differences of illumination. Describes how to test whether plants’ responses to lights are in accordance with it.
Thanks for CD’s remarks on and agreement with his paper on history of pollination theories [see 11678].
Will shortly send his essay on the anatomy of nectaries in flowers [see 12300].
Forwards letter from George Callwell reporting what a large and disease-free potato crop JT’s seed yields.
CD is puzzled by VD’s supposed hybrid tomato. If a hybrid, it would have to result from the "direct action of the pollen of a distinct species in the mother plant". CD believes this sort of inheritance occurs in varieties (though some botanists disagree), but not for species. Suggests "bud-variation".
Did cats and dogs become pets because they are scrupulous in the discharge of their faeces? He has a pet parakeet whose behaviour supports this view.
Wants some plants for sleep-movement observations. Has almost finished experimental work and must start sorting his notes.
Sends his autograph.
EAS eagerly awaits the publication of CD’s work on heliotropism.
Sends him a paper on "Polyembryonie" [Jenaische Z. Med. & Naturwiss. 12 (1878): 647–70].
Rejoices that he should have "staggered" William Thomson so quickly and that the latter should speak of GHD’s "discovery". The internal heat [of the earth] will please geologists and evolutionists.
Plans to produce a translation of Weismann’s Studien zur Descendenz-Theorie [1875–6] and would welcome a preface from CD.
Wants Impatiens seeds, in order to observe movements of cotyledons.
Will do his best to provide preface for Weismann’s Studien [see Collected papers 2: 280–1].
JDH writes to Sir William Turner Thiselton-Dyer about his time in Paris. He [& his wife Hyacinth Hooker] could not stay at the Hotel de Famille & have been forced to take rooms at an inferior establishment; Hotel l'Amiral. They have been to the Exhibition [Third Paris World's Fair] where JDH admired the Japanese edibles such as Pteris aquilina in syrup, also a collection of bamboos, the Englsih glass & French artificial flowers but he got bored with the amount of porcelain on show. They have also been to Cluny, a prize giving at the Palais d'Industrie & briefly to an overcrowded ball at the 'Ministre of Agriculture & Commerce'. JDH will go to a speech by the exhibition jurors & to see the Prince at the British Embassy. JDH has met with William Munro & together they will go to the Jardin de Plantes to visit Joseph Decaisne. JDH & Hyacinth dine daily with Mr & Mrs Ragnel, Hyacinth's aunt. Due to rain they will not attend the ball at Versailles. JDH approves of the improvements being made in Paris but finds the city very noisy, smelly & poorly designed for pedestrians. The Palais Royal does not have the quality shops it used to, good jewellery especially is now to be found further West. JDH is worrying about his [Royal Society] Address, he asks WTTD to help him by preparing a list of significant scientific developments. In a post script JDH ads that the Duval Bouillons are: 'so full one cannot get near them'.
JDH agrees that he & Sir William Thiselton-Dyer should pay for [John Reader] Jackson's trip to Paris. JDH advises caution in dealing with [Daniel] Oliver, he believes that seclusion has led to Oliver developing 'erroneous views'. Gunther was proposed for a Royal Medal a year earlier than Oliver. The Exhibition [Exposition Universelle, third Paris World's Fair] will close at the end of November but exhibitors can sell off exhibits from the end of October.
JDH writes to Sir WilliamTurner Thiselton-Dyer about John Reader Jackson [Keeper of the RBG Kew museums] attending the Paris Exhibition [Third Paris World's Fair]. JDH would also like to take Jackson to the Jardin des Plantes. JDH has attended a deputation from the Colonies to the Prince [Princes of Wales, later Edvard VII] offering him the colonial collections from the exhibition to establish a colonial museum. These collections will be stored in the South Kensington galleries [Victoria and Alber Museum] temporarily which means that RBG Kew will not get the Douglas fir but they wil get a Xanthorrhoea, a tree fern stem probably of Alsophilia cooperi & some other unspecified things. JDH has seen Brand's[?] collection of woods but was not impressed by the display. JDH visits the exhibition daily& is also often at the Embassy with the Prince, who sympathises with keeping RBG Kew shut [to the public during the mornings] but suggests a compromise. JDH still needs to see the horticulture diaplays at the exhbition. Also, to meet with M. Pierre about publishing Pierre's collections with government assistance, about which Joseph Decaisne is sceptical. The balls or 'fetes' at Versailles & the Ministries have been badly organised, JDH [& his wife Hyacinth Hooker] spend the evenings with the Regnals[?], relations of Hyacinth's & the Symonds family. They have been to the Hippodrome. They will catch the Boulogne train home. JDH is returning the proofs of the BOTANICAL MAGAZINE to Reeve, the publishers. William Munro is leaving for Dieppe having been disappointed with the grasses at the Jardin des Plantes. JDH reports some gossip about John Forbes Watson leaving the India Office.
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