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].

Hugh Falconer’s death great loss to science.

His own health has been especially bad this last week.

Falconer’s illness and suffering. His great ability and knowledge.

CD’s paper ["Climbing plants"] went extremely well [at Linnean Society]. M. T. Masters and Bentham commented.

Falconer’s death haunts him. Personal annihilation not so horrifying to him as sun cooling some day and human race ending.

His health has been wretched.

Masters has written his agreement with CD’s "Climbing plants".

Darwin compliments ARW's papers published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London and in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society on geographical distribution in the Malay Archipelago.

Hildebrand has sent copy of his paper on Pulmonaria in Botanische Zeitung.

How much should CD contribute to Falconer’s bust?

Oswald Heer on alpine and Arctic floras.

A. R. Wallace on geographical distribution in Malay Archipelago.

Lyell’s new edition of Elements. Wishes someone would do a book like it on botany.

Why botanists will not subscribe to Falconer’s bust with enthusiasm.

Scott has been offered curatorship at Calcutta Botanic Garden.

No summary available.

Will arrive Saturday [4 Mar] on afternoon train.