Encloses a letter from a Mr Hill on some [unspecified] legal matter.

In answer to CD’s query, FM thinks the seeds he sent were those of the sensitive Mimosa.

Reports his observations of movement of leaves of Bauhinia grandiflora and B. brasiliensis. They do not "sleep" in hot weather.

Sends some seeds of Pontederia he had fertilised.

Describes grafting experiment of Baron de Villa Franca, which produced new varieties of sugar-cane. Encloses related documents.

Thanks GA for his article ["The daisy’s pedigree", Cornhill Mag. 44 (1881): 168–81].

The evolutionary argument that petals are transformed stamens is "striking and apparently valid". Doubts petals are naturally yellow.

Wallace’s "generalization about much modified parts being splendidly coloured" is also dubious except as both are caused by sexual selection.

Thanks VOK for a photograph and his New Year wishes.

Thanks CD for letter for Villa Franca. Would be happy if CD published the Baron’s observations in an English scientific journal.

Asks GJR’s opinion about grafting experiments on sugar-cane carried out by the Baron [de Villa Franca].

Reports the inconclusive results of some experiments he has been doing for CD [related to plant colouring material?].

Has sold London & South Western Railway stock and has purchased Great Western stock.

On F. M. Balfour.

Effects of ammonium carbonate on roots.

FM’s Pontederia case is very curious.

Is obliged for TE’s paper on the wall lizard and another paper.

Sends subscription for Hannah Fitch.

Accepts GJR’s offer to prepare sugar-cane paper for publication [Villa Franca and Glass, "New varieties of sugar-cane", Proc. Linn. Soc. Lond. (1880–2): 30–1]. Suggests introduction and outline.

Agrees with GJR on microscope for Grant Allen.

Thanks CD for financial assistance for Mr Fitch and his wife.

Has read Earthworms; discusses parts and encloses a list of errata. Writes of worm-castings, describing his observations; speculates on the variation in their distribution under different conditions.

Advises his children as to how some money will be distributed among them.

Praises G. H. Darwin’s letter ["On the geological importance of the tides", Nature 25 (1882): 213–14] which criticises the use made of George Darwin’s views by Robert Ball ["A glimpse through the corridors of time", Nature 25 (1881): 79–82, 103–7]. JWJ argues from the fineness of Cambrian sediments against Ball’s intensification of geological forces. Massive Carboniferous river deltas also contradict Ball’s excessively high tides.

CD’s division of his surplus income; fire engines; Sara Darwin’s relatives; GHD’s paper in Nature.

Thanks CD for Earthworms.

Discusses the problem of accounting for difference between nitrogen in permanent grassland and ordinary arable soil. Finds castings of earthworms rich in nitrogen. Asks CD if his observations enable him to explain the source. If from below top-soil, it would be a considerable manuring.

Sends his paper on the comparative anatomy of the assimilatory tissue systems of plants [Jahrb. Wiss. Bot. 13 (1882): 74–188]. This work has made clear to him how CD’s principles produce rich results when applied to plant anatomy.

Also sends a paper on the difficult problem of the gulf between cryptogamic and phanerogamic plants in the evolutionary development, in order to present another proof of the continuity of the phylogenetic development of the plant kingdom.