From James Caird   21 March 1878

Copyright Inclosure & Tithe Commission 3, St. James’s Square: S.W.

March 21. 78

Dear Mr. Darwin

I am much obliged by the opportunity of perusing Mr. Torbitts Papers, which I now return.1

For the present I think the farther conduct of the experiments should be left with him, and if needful I shall be happy to apply to friends for a moderate contribution towards his expenses. But as yet his success has not been such as would in my view warrant an application for government aid.

I need hardly say that, personally, I am glad to give any aid in my power to the prosecution of experiments which you and Sir J. Hooker approve,2 and Mr. Torbitt owes you a deep debt of thanks for the help you have given him.3

Believe me | Very faithfully yours | James Caird

Charles Darwin Esq F.R.S.

1
James Torbitt had enclosed printed testimonials for his potato-breeding experiments with his letter of 15 March 1878; CD had forwarded these to Caird (see letter to James Torbitt, 20 March 1878).
3
CD had sent a cheque for £100 to enable Torbitt to continue his potato experiments for another season if a government grant could not be obtained (see letter to James Torbitt, 4 March 1878).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11437,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11437