Regrets sending his MS missing two pages.

Has proofs of his paper on the monoecious spikes of maize [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 213–20].

J. H. Balfour objected to notion of maize descent from a hermaphrodite.

Reading of JS’s paper on Selaginella hybrid [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 19 (1864): 192–9] deferred until March. Believes it is first example of experimentally produced hybridity in higher cryptogams.

A regular column is to appear in the Proceedings of the Royal Horticultural Society on successful and failed interspecific crosses.

Is sending his monograph ["A revision and arrangement of the North American species of Astragalus and Oxytropis", Proc. Am. Acad. Arts & Sci. 6 (1863): 188–236].

Death of Francis Boott.

U. S. is now determined to do away with slavery.

CD’s climbing plant experiments make it impossible to deny nerve force in plants.

Has discussed Frankland’s new glacial theory with Lyell.

Bishop Colenso’s trial.

Possibility of Scott’s coming to Kew as a curator.

Thinks the paper by H. Crüger should appear in the Journal of the Linnean Society.

Sends a Corydalis.

Hermann Crüger’s paper [see 4394] splendid, but he has made a mess of propagating Cinchona in Trinidad.

JDH’s opinion of Germans.

Acknowledges cancelled bond and thanks CD for declining to accept interest. Suggests 4 Mar 1865 as date for payment of the bill CD holds.

Reception of Scott’s paper.

Difficulty of writing Boott’s obituary.

Critical of Edward Frankland’s glacial theory.

Falconer’s and Ramsay’s views on Himalayan lakes lack support of basic evidence.

Taxonomic distribution of climbing plants.

Huxley picks quarrels with minor figures and thus magnifies them.

Has left his position at Edinburgh Botanic Garden.

Discusses homologies of plant organs.

The passion-flower tendril should be considered a modified branch rather than a modified flower. Considers the distinction between the peduncle and the leaf midrib.

Has drawn all three forms of primroses CD sent "with same result". Has found no pink variety with middle style.

List of four plants sent.

Observations on climbing species of Tacoma. [Tecoma!?]

Has six months’ leave from the Admiralty because of his health; intends going to Europe for four months.

On fertilisation of Gongora.

His work on peloric Antirrhinum, Passiflora, and Verbascum, done at CD’s suggestion, is at CD’s disposal.

Sends drawings of the pollen from Chinese Primula plants with styles and pistils of different lengths; observations on sizes and condition of their pollen.

Surprised at CD’s account of Bryanthus.

H. Crüger’s approach to Gongora fertilisation is beset with difficulties.

Reports his work on self-sterility of Oncidium.

John Scott’s career.

Huxley’s vicious attack on anthropologists.

Critique of Joseph Prestwich’s theory of rivers.

Bitter feelings between the Hookers and the Veitch family of nurserymen.

Sends CD a copy of her book [Botany for novices (1864?)], intended to encourage the young, especially ladies, to study nature.

Encloses memorandum on tendrils. Nature of tendrils in Modecca.