Sends seeds of Trichonema and bulb and leaves of Romulea rollii, plus specimens showing two forms of Primula marginata.

Offers notes on Romulea rollii with sketch of a dissection.

Sends fresh plants from France: Lythrum graefferi, Romulea.

Does CD know Pulmonaria is dimorphic?

Thanks for "Climbing plants".

Sends a tin full of Ophrys by his brother, who should take about 60 hours to reach Down.

Is sending Ophrys plants marked as CD requested as wild or under cultivation. Discusses arrangements for a scheme planned for 1867 and his method for marking his Ophrys specimens.

Sends a box of orchids.

Sends plants from France.

J. B. E. Bornet of Antibes, working in G. A. Thuret’s garden, finds Cistus hybrids do not follow the old dictum of having the mother’s foliage and the father’s habit. Bornet is engaged in long-term study.

JTM seeks invitation to Down.

Accepts invitation for 23 June.

Will take earlier train to Down.

Sends onion and mint seeds.

Sends packet of Ononis columnae seed and references to the species.

At CD’s request he is looking into the gardeners’ custom of separating all sweetpea varieties in order to obtain pure seed.

Observations on Ophrys plants and Thymus vulgaris. Encloses sketch of different forms of T. vulgaris [see Forms of flowers, p. 302].

Sends several plants with abortive anthers or bad pollen.

Sends Orchis.

Is coming to London.

Wrote to J. B. E. Bornet on CD’s behalf, declining the offer of seeds of Draba. But now Bornet writes that he is sending seeds to CD anyway [see 5592].

Corrects his previous description of the fertilisation of Indigofera.

Thanks for CD’s ["Fertilization of orchids", Collected papers 2: 138–56].

Although Thomas Meehan’s paper ["Variations in Epigaea repens", Proc. Philadelphia Acad. Nat. Sci. (1868): 153–6] shows great variability in this genus, JTM sees a need to qualify the generalisation that there is as much variation in the wild as under domestication. He knows no evidence for a constant proportion between variability in the wild and under cultivation.

Observations on correlation between leaf size and exposure to sun and shade.

Has evidence for two varieties of Ophrys apifera in England, which live in mutually exclusive colonies.

Leaflet variation at the tip of Lathyrus stems.

Sends seeds of Lathyrus and suggests an advantage of climbing plants is to shed their seeds in places secure from animals.

Contrary to F. Delpino, in JTM’s experience Ophrys aranifera is not sterile. However, seed germination is poor.

In a densely overgrown plot Convolvulus sabatius, not normally a twiner, becomes one.

Continues his extensive study on variability in Arbutus, and speculates on selection in fruit shape.