Encloses a cheque for £11.19.9. Will transmit £7.9.4 to Fritz Müller. Thanks for account of the sale of his books, which appears to be in a "lamentable state".

Comments on GJR’s article in Fortnightly Review ["The beginning of nerves", n.s. 24 (1878): 509–26].

Comments on "poor old" Edinburgh Review.

Wants Oxalis specimen named; is fascinated by cotyledonary movements of the genus.

Thanks for a copy of Strasburger’s essay on ‘swarmspores’.

Before JDH discusses flora of Canary Islands CD suggests he read F. B. White’s paper [see 11707], which explains stocking of Atlantic island fauna as due to changed currents during [last, or Miocene] northern glacial period.

Thanks for pt 4 of Australian orchids [1874–].

Suggests that benzoic acid would be a deadly poison to bacteria and their allies.

Is puzzled about the use of borax as a disinfectant because in his experiments Drosera were not in the least injured by boracic acid.

CD is puzzled by VD’s supposed hybrid tomato. If a hybrid, it would have to result from the "direct action of the pollen of a distinct species in the mother plant". CD believes this sort of inheritance occurs in varieties (though some botanists disagree), but not for species. Suggests "bud-variation".

Sends his autograph.

Wants some plants for sleep-movement observations. Has almost finished experimental work and must start sorting his notes.

Rejoices that he should have "staggered" William Thomson so quickly and that the latter should speak of GHD’s "discovery". The internal heat [of the earth] will please geologists and evolutionists.

Wants Impatiens seeds, in order to observe movements of cotyledons.

Will do his best to provide preface for Weismann’s Studien [see Collected papers 2: 280–1].