Thanks JLC for his letter, pedigree, and MS of the history of the Darwin family.

Thanks for CD’s appreciation of his work on family history. Sends one of his books [unidentified].

Three hundred copies of Erasmus Darwin remain from the 1000 printed. Demand is small.

Should 250 copies of Forms of flowers be printed before type is distributed?

Thanks CD for his cheque for £100. Has told Secretary of BAAS Committee [for the Station], so that he may report it. [See O. J. R. Howarth, The British Association (1931), pp. 196–7.]

Potatoes will be lost unless JT has immediate authority to proceed.

Thanks HWC and the Birmingham Philosophical Society for their address in his honour.

Writes on family matters and researches.

Mentions construction of a pendulum

and completion of a paper he will send to the Royal Society.

Going to London today to speak to T. H. Farrer about funds for potato breeding experiments. "I have told Farrer I would subscribe £50."

The Colonel [J. L. Chester] is pleased [see 12509].

Jos[iah Wedgwood III] is dying.

[Letter written as a postscript to 11406.] CD has reread his letter of 7 Mar 1878 about the value of James Torbitt’s work on the potato disease and has nothing to withdraw. Emphasises Torbitt’s need for immediate financial help.

Is in town and will call on Sunday morning.

Wonders whether Lord Derby would advance him the money to continue his work.

Is prepared to continue his work, if financial help is forthcoming.

Has sent off paper to the Royal Society

and begun work on a new problem which he feels contains the meaning of Bode’s Law, concerning the mean distances of the planets from the sun. There are mathematical difficulties, however, which he may be unable to surmount.

Will get to work on the pendulum next week.

Suggests Torbitt make a report on his progress so far.

Encloses check [cheque!?] for £50. James Caird will guarantee £75 and T. H. Farrer £25. Above gentlemen think JT should get report on his experiments from independent agriculturists.

P.S. to letter posted that morning. James Caird cannot pledge £75. Erasmus Darwin and Hensleigh Wedgwood will subscribe. May write letter to the Times. Asks for report on experiments.

Thanks for LW’s work [Studien über die Stammesgeschichte der Ammoniten (1880)].

Describes subscription for Torbitt [to continue potato experiments]. Would dislike writing to any paper, but Hensleigh [Wedgwood] and Erasmus [Darwin] advise CD to write to the Times.

Writes of the weather,

his reading of Huxley’s Crayfish [1880],

and domestic matters.