Concerns [James] Torbitt’s potato plants and the question of their trial by the Experimental Committee of the Royal Agricultural Society and a request to the Government for the needed expense. THF and CD to set a date for consultation with the botanist [William] Carruthers.

Describes James Torbitt’s plan for producing disease-resistant potato varieties. [Letter is an earlier version of 11406.]

Supports Torbitt. Keenly aware of danger of growing crops from a single variety. Torbitt’s paper to Belfast BAAS meeting ["On the potato-disease", Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 134] was sat upon.

Describes a post-mortem dissection of a chimpanzee’s brain. The several doctors who observed it were struck by its resemblance to the human brain.

Thanks for letter. Comments on SBJS’s research on Palaeolithic flint tools.

Forwards letter from James Caird concerning funds for potato experiments. CD will correct his letter to THF [11389] and then forward it to Hooker for his opinion.