64 GROWTH OF THE 'ORIGIN.' [1855. 



that it is quite ridiculous my writing to you at such length on 

 the subject ; but, as you have asked me, I do it gratefully, and 

 write to you as I should to Hooker, who often laughs at me 

 unmercifully, and I am sure you have better reason to do so. 



There is one point on which I am most anxious for inform- 

 ation, and I mention it with the greatest hesitation, and 

 only in the full belief that you will believe me that I have 

 not the folly and presumption to hope for a second that you 

 will give it, without you can with very little trouble. The 

 point can at present interest no one but myself, which makes 

 the case wholly different from geographical distribution. The 

 only way in which, I think, you possibly could do it with little 

 trouble would be to bear in mind, whilst correcting your proof- 

 sheets of the Manual, my question and put a cross or mark 

 to the species, and whenever sending a parcel to Hooker to 

 let me have such old sheets. But this would give you the 

 trouble of remembering my question, and I can hardly hope 

 or expect that you will do it. But I will just mention what I 

 want ; it is to have marked the " close species " in a Flora, so 

 as to compare in different Floras whether the same genera 

 have "close species," and for other purposes too vague to 

 enumerate. I have attempted, by Hooker's help, to ascertain 

 in a similar way whether the different species of the same 

 genera in distant quarters of the globe are variable or 

 present varieties. The definition I should give of a " close 

 species" was one that you thought specifically distinct, but 

 which you could conceive some other good botanist might 

 think only a race or variety ; or, again, a species that you 

 had trouble, though having opportunities of knowing it well, 

 in discriminating from some other species. Supposing that 

 you were inclined to be so very kind as to do this, and could 

 (which I do not expect) spare the time, as I have said, a 

 mere cross to each such species in any useless proof-sheets 

 would give me the information desired, which, I may add, 

 I know must be vague. 



