To T. H. Farrer   13 March 1878

My dear Farrer.

I send my letter of the sight of which you must be sick; you say that you can easily get it copied in London, and will you kindly have it done.¹ I would have sent it to my copyist,² but this would have caused delay, as he works only late at night, I hear from Hooker that he has written to you, & that he approves of M^r Torbitt’s plan, He tells me that the Tomato growing near potatoes, was badly affected at Kew; and this is a very unfavourable fact.³ Whatever you & M^r Caird⁴ may decide to do. I will agree to gratefully. A friend of the Litchfields has been making very careful enquiries from various persons in Belfast about M^r Torbitt; & reports that he is a wine & spirit merchant, & esteemed highly respectable & wealthy. He owns many public houses in Belfast   He is believed to have spent a great deal of money on his potato experiments.⁵

My dear Farrer. | Yours sincerely. | Ch. Darwin