Thanks AG for Cypripedium and Mitchella.

Plans to investigate pollination of Cypripedium.

Has finished Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].

Would welcome facts on "bud-variations".

Hears that Cinchona is dimorphic.

Comments on his own review of Bates’s butterfly paper [Collected papers 2: 87–92].

Thanks AG for information on Platanthera.

Has been wasting more time with Melastomataceae; can find no nectar in Monochaetum; is there any in Rhexia?

Hopes Lincoln’s "fiat against Slavery" will have some effect.

Recommends Lyell’s book [Antiquity of man (1863)].

Quotes praise of AG’s pamphlet [see 2938].

Comments on U. S. politics.

Discusses the meaning of C. K. Sprengel’s term "dichogamy". Dichogamous plants are functionally monoecious; Primula is functionally dioecious.

Reports Hermann Crüger’s observations of Cattleya and of bees pollinating Catasetum. Crüger will observe Melastomataceae.

Has built a hothouse.

Fears Amsinckia cannot be dimorphic.

Ill health slows his work on Variation.

Fears England and U. S. will drift into war; he and AG must "keep to Science".

Thanks for facts on Incas; regrets he has always avoided the case of man.

Has sent his Linum paper [Collected papers 2: 93–105].

Is it true that Ohio has legislated against marriage of cousins?

Can AG explain the invariable angles in phyllotaxy; are they the consequence of packing in the early bud?

Owen’s comments on heterogeny in the Athenæum [28 Mar 1863] have vexed W. B. Carpenter; CD has replied [Collected papers 2: 78–80].

Hopes AG will observe Gymnadenia; John Scott has been experimenting on its fertilisation.

Gives his observation on pollination of Cypripedium.

CD despairs when men like AG and Lyell consider themselves incapable of judging on change of species by descent.

Is confused over phyllotaxy.

Has been looking at Plantago lanceolata.

AG’s review of Alphonse de Candolle’s paper [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 35 (1863): 430–44] is excellent.

Does not AG consider that orchids oppose Oswald Heer’s view that species arise suddenly by monstrosities?

Infers that AG cannot explain the angles of phyllotaxy; has been looking at Carl Nägeli on the subject.

Reports Gaston de Saporta’s belief that natural selection will ultimately triumph in France.

Is working slowly at Variation.

Reports his observations on the imperfect flowers of Viola and Oxalis.

Thanks AG for references about phyllotaxy

and information on marriage laws.

Has been looking for dimorphism in Phlox and Euonymus.

Has observed the irritability of tendrils of Echinocystis with great interest. Was also struck by the rotating movements of the leading shoots, which he proposes to investigate.

Anticipated AG’s attitude on design in orchids. Does he not think that the variations that gave rise to fancy pigeon varieties were accidental?

Has been working hard at Lythrum

and spontaneous movements of tendrils.

Defends Drosera as a "sagacious animal" but does not know whether he will ever publish on it.

Comments on political situation in U. S.

Has not worked for six months due to illness.

Has been looking at climbing plants.

Hermann Crüger’s paper shows that CD was right about Catasetum pollination. Crüger’s account of pollination of Coryanthes "beats everything".

Describes the flower and mode of action of a particular orchid.

Has been examining Spiranthes and is experimenting to see whether insects are necessary for its fertilisation.

It seems that Oncidium is designed so as not to be fertilised.

Is slowly writing Lythrum paper [Collected papers 2: 106–31].

Thanks for [Charles?] Wright’s observations on orchids

– could he note what attracts insects to Begonia and Melastoma? H. Crüger, who was going to observe Melastomataceae, has died.

Describes the climbing habits of Bignonia capreolata and Eccremocarpus scaber.

How does AG know the perfect flowers of Voandzeia are quite sterile?

He has a case of dimorphism in holly; asks AG to report on American hollies.

Has finished Climbing plants;

resuming work on Variation.

Sends abstract of John Scott’s paper [see 4332].

Has received review of Herbert Spencer but cannot believe AG wrote it unless he has muddled his brains with metaphysics.

Sends question [missing] for an ornithologist.

Is plodding on at Variation.

Has added to Climbing plants.

JDH writes that he has no fruit of Fothergilla & asks Asa Gray whether it's Endocarp separates as coccis. Mentions Parry's seeds. Has been busy with GENERA PLANTARUM, describes the work he has been doing on various orders, genera and tribes for the book incl.: calyciflorous orders, Cucurbitaceae with input from Charles Victor Naudin, Melastomaceae, Abobreae, Elatereae, Loaseae, Passifloreae, Papayaceae, Modecca, Acharia, Begonias, Cartesia[?], Hamamelideae, Saxifrageae, Bruniaceae, Grubbia, Santalaceae & Corneae. [Letter incomplete, it bears no valediction or signature but is written in the hand of Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker].

Congratulates AG on the "grand news of Richmond".

Still interested in dimorphism and would welcome new cases.

Working on Variation

and correcting proofs of Climbing plants.

Would like seed of AG’s dimorphic Plantago.

Cannot understand how the wind could fertilise reciprocally dimorphic flowers.

No summary available.

Gratified by AG’s praise of "Climbing plants".

Thanks for Specularia seed.

JDH tells Asa Gray about the death of his father William Jackson Hooker, at age 80. A few days before his death WJH had given Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii] a tour of RBG Kew, walked in the gardens with [Thomas] Thomson & [Miles Joseph] Berkeley & went with JDH to see the subtropical plants in Battersea Park. JDH's mother [Lady Maria Hooker] returned from Yarmouth to be by her husband's side. There is an epidemic of throat infections in Kew. JDH himself got sick with Rheumatic fever, possibly as a result of keeping vigil over his father. He went to stay with [Archibald] Campbell in Notting Hill to recuperate. He mentions some of the treatments he had & some lingering symptoms. [William Francis] Cowper [Temple] wrote offering JDH the Directorship of RBG Kew & proposing some changes to the Gardens. JDH wants proper scientific help & another assistant such as [Daniel] Oliver to help handle correspondence & work on Ferns. Discusses what assets his father leaves & the inheritance that his children will get, incl. herbarium & library which are left to JDH with instruction to offer them to the nation at a reasonable rate. JDH has heard that [Charles Robert] Darwin's health is improving under Dr [Henry] Bence Jones. JDH gives a report on the whereabouts of his children: William Henslow Hooker, Charles Paget Hooker, Harriet Anne Hooker, Brian Harvey Hodgson Hooker. Adds that his Mother and his sister Mrs [Elizabeth] Lombe are in Yarmouth & Norfolk respectively & will winter at Torquay. The only mourners at WJH's funeral were JDH's sister Maria [McGilvray], his brother in law Thomas Robert Evans Lombe, his uncle Thomas Brightwen & some old RBG Kew foremen including the old & new John Smiths.

AG’s article on climbing plants [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 40 (1865): 273–82] is admirable and complimentary.

Reports Fritz Müller’s observations on climbers.

Experiments on dimorphism with Mitchella and Pulmonaria.