From James Torbitt   25 December 1879

Belfast

25th. Decr 1879

Charles Darwin Esqr | Down.

My dear Sir,

I have now to report to you that I have procured the Vine to be grown from its seed, in a phylloxera-infested district in portugal—that Vines have been found, which the phylloxera has not attacked, and that the people are “delighted” by the vigorous growth of the new plants.1

In regard to the potato, I am beginning to hope that I shall be able to continue the work, even without further assistance.2

I am my dear Sir | most respectfully and faithfully yours | James Torbitt

1
Phylloxera (Daktulosphaira vitifoliae) is a small sap-sucking insect native to North America, accidentally introduced in the mid nineteenth century to Europe, where it devastated native grapevines. No previous correspondence about the vine from Portugal has been found.
2
Torbitt had corresponded with CD about his efforts to breed a blight-resistant potato since 1876 (see Correspondence vol. 24 and following volumes). He considered that his method would apply equally to producing phylloxera-resistant vines (see Correspondence vol. 26, enclosure to letter from James Torbitt, 24 February 1878 and n. 7).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-12370,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-12370