Ɛpsilon

To George King   November 1872

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

November | 1872

Dear Sir

I am very much obliged for your letter, which has interested me much. I intend to put together my notes this winter or next summer, so that I fear any future observations in India would be too late.—1 As far as I know no one has ever attended in any way the worm-castings except myself; and I did not even know before hearing from Mr. Scott, whether the worms thus acted in Tropical countries:—2 I hear from Professor Asa Gray that worms are as troublesome in lawns in the united states as with us.—3 I hope that your residence in south Europe will suit you & be pleasant.4 Perhaps you will be so kind as just to observe & inform me—whether there are many worm-castings there. I now remember your having written to me about the abnormal tree;5 though I had forgotten it when I wrote to you, as I receive a large number of letters from persons with whom I am personally unacquainted.

Pray believe me | My dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Ch. Darwin

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1
King’s letter has not been found, but see the letter to George King, 28 October 1872. Earthworms was not published until 1881, and it contained observations by King on worm castings in both India and the south of France.
2
See letters from John Scott, 22 March 1872 and 25 September 1872.
5
King had sent CD specimens of Paritium tricuspis (now Talipariti hastatum) that produced flowers and leaves resembling those of another species (see Correspondence vol. 19, letter to George King, 27 January [1871]).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8589,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8589