From Francis Darwin   [1875?]¹

My dear Father

I have had two mornings work at Drosera but without success. I got into a very good way of doing it but the plants seem sluggish. The first morning 26″ was the quickest—counting from the beginning of contact of the drop of meat infusion. The second morning they were more sluggish still; ammonia is not so nice to work with as meat; as with meat one is not afraid of evaporation making ones drop weak if one waits a bit—² The only thing of the slightest interest is that contact for 1′ produced movement in just the same time counting from the beginning as contact for 4″ did; the tentacles were on the same leaf; but of course one experiment isnt much good— I shall try again, because now I can do it accurately—

My frog preparations are pretty good—³

I am very glad mother & you are keeping well.⁴

Thank you for writing about the pamphlets, we have cut up a lot & sorted some—it will be done when you come home—

Yr affec son | F Darwin