Reports results of crosses between the two forms of Viola tricolor: 1. Female small flower crossed with male large flower yields all small flowers (cleistogamous self-fertilisation suspected); 2. Male small flower crossed with female large yields intermediate flowers; 3. Large flower crossed with large flower yields self-sterility symptoms.

Writing on vegetable physiology.

Nothing in CD’s life has ever interested him more than the fertilisation of such plants as Primula and Lythrum.

Thanks CD for his efforts to get HM’s book, Die Befruchtung der Blumen [1873], translated into English. [See Fertilisation of flowers, translated by D’Arcy W. Thompson, preface by C. Darwin (1883).]

Will soon return to his observations on insects in general and bees in particular.

Has just heard that HM has been treated shamefully by his Government. What has happened?

Seventieth birthday greetings.

HM’s teaching methods and his ideas are under attack in Germany along with the works of Ernst Krause.

Fritz Müller’s daughter has committed suicide.

Enjoyed HM’s castigation of Gaston Bonnier ["Gaston Bonniers angebliche Widerlegung der modernen Blumentheorie", Kosmos 7 (1880): 219–36].

HM’s son will visit CD when he comes to London.

Is glad CD approves of his judgment of G. Bonnier’s paper on nectaries [Gaston Bonnier, "Les nectaires", Ann. Sci. Nat. (Bot.) 8 (1879): 5–212].

Has heard of flood from which Fritz Müller escaped. Has he lost books, microscope, apparatus? Offers £50 or £100.

Movement in plants has shown him CD’s research method: 1. Find a fundamental idea of great generality (circumnutation); 2. Pursue it everywhere with observations and experiment; 3. Conduct special observations which undo any doubt of generality.

Fritz Müller suffered moderate damage in Brazilian flood.

Continued praise for the universal importance for botany of Movement in plants.