From J. V. Carus   26 February 1877

My dear Sir,

Of course I shall correct the “self-fertilised”, as you desire me to do.¹ But I cannot help thinking, that “self-fertilised” might be right after all; at least I find, in putting “crossed” instead, it does not give the sense if one goes on reading, which you intend to express   You say: selffertilised seedlings of Petunia exceed the crossed; this is an anomaly; but as with Iberis self fertilised seeds, not fully matured, grew quicker, so that they retained their advantage, so the most probable explanation is, that the seeds from which the selffertilised plants of Petunia were raised, were also not well ripened, and grew therefore quicker.² Here “crossed” would be out of the way. The sheet, where this passage stands, is printed already; but I shall give it as an Erratum, if you wish it. However, I cannot as yet see, that it is wrong. I beg your pardon for doubting; but please read the whole paragraph, and I think my doubts are justified.

With my best wishes for your health | Yours ever sincerely | J. Victor Carus