To George Cross   6 October [1876]¹

Dear Sir

Absence from home has prevented me from thanking you for your very kind note by return of post.— Your case is quite new to me & very extraordinary.² I sh^d. very much like to hear some further particulars. Did the very same plants which you transplanted change their habit; or were they fresh young plants developed from the leaf-buds? How were the plants treated with respect to shade moisture & soil?

I sh^d. extremely like to examine a living plant, but I shall not return home until the 21^st or 23^d. of Oct.—³ If the plants were sent me by above address to Southampton they would have to travel home with me, for I sh^d. not have a proper microscope there for examining the hairs. If therefore they would last until the 21^st–23^d I sh^d prefer to receive them at Down, (by Railway) as at head of this letter & to be marked “to be forwarded by special messenger”.⁴

If they are likely to die I sh^d. be glad to see them at Southampton. I rather doubt whether it can have been the exclusion of insects which can have worked this remarkable change.— I once tried to rear plants without insect-food, but failed owing to a mere unfortunate accident; & I had intended to try again.—

With very sincere thanks, I remain | Dear Sir | Yours faithfully | Charles Darwin

P.S I suppose that you feel sure that some other plant has not grown up in the place where Drosera grew: I once nearly fell into this trap & sh^d. have blundered dreadfully.