To W. C. Tait   7 April [1869]¹

Dear Sir

I am delighted to say that your plants of Drosophyllum are recovering; the old leaves have rotted off & nice healthy new ones are forming. They succeed best in a deep pot with very light soil, standing in a saucer of water, & not watered from above, & they like a rather high temperature.²

The young leaves have caught a good many minute flies. The viscid fluid which is apparently attractive to the insects, is acid as in Drosera & Dionæa; & as in these plants softens the insects. I wished for negative results, but these have proved rather too negative for my taste; for I can detect no trace of movement from the application of nitrogenous matter nor from mechanical irritation. Although I have not the least doubt from analogy that the glands absorb the animalized fluid, I cannot prove this; but I shall have another trial on a more extensive scale with a very weak solution of carbonate of ammonia.³

I will send a couple of plants to Kew, where I hear they will be eagerly received. I hope my last letter came safe to hand.⁴

With very sincere thanks for your great kindness believe me dear Sir | yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin