From George Henslow   3 March 1870

My dear M^r Darwin,

I have been going to write to you some time ago—but several things intervened—to thank you for yr letter containing directions about an experiment on Lapageria.¹ I found it was rather late in the season—& could not get more than about 20 blossoms fit for trial. I, however, dusted about half with their own pollen & the rest with pollen from diff^t. fls. & cut out their stamens. The perianths of all faded much the same time. & the pistils have all remained on, but at present look all alike. M^r H² tells me that they do not commence swelling under 6 months, so that I cannot ascertain the result for some time to come. I hope to repeat the exp^t. more fully next season when the blossoms are abund^t. The white Var is a doubtful affair—its history is unknown   M^r H. says he believes it has sent forth red blossoms in some body else’s possession!

All his plants are from cuttings: but seedlings are more profitable if reard with a little care.

Y^rs faithfully | Geo Henslow

P.S. I have been sent down here to ‘rusticate’ by the Metropolⁿ Ry Co,³ for giving me concussion of brain in an accident— getting all right again