i868 i88i] CROSS FERTILISATION 373 



raised from self-fertilised and crossed seeds, and it is no Letter 694 

 exaggeration to say that the difference in growth and vigour 

 is sometimes truly wonderful. Lyell, Huxley, and Hooker 

 have seen some of my plants, and been astonished ; and I 

 should much like to show them to you. I always supposed 

 until lately that no evil effects would be visible until after 

 several generations of self-fertilisation, but now I see that one 

 generation sometimes suffices, and the existence of dimorphic 

 plants and all the wonderful contrivances of orchids are quite 

 intelligible to me. 



To T. H. Farrer (Lord Farrer). Letter 695 



Down, June 5th, 1868. 



I must write a line to cry peccavi. I have seen the 

 action in Ophrys l exactly as you describe,. and am thoroughly 

 ashamed of my inaccuracy. I find that the pollinia do not 

 move if kept in a very damp atmosphere under a glass ; so 

 that it is just possible, though very improbable, that I may 

 have observed them during a very damp day. 



I am not much surprised that I overlooked the movement 

 in Habenaria? as it takes so long. 



I am glad you have seen Listera\ it requires to be seen 

 to believe in the co-ordination in the position of the parts, the 

 irritability, and the chemical nature of the viscid fluid. This 

 reminds me that I carefully described to Huxley the shooting 

 out of the pollinia in Catasetum, and received for an answer, 

 " Do you really think that I can believe all that ! " 3 



To J. D. Hooker. Letter 696 



Down, Dec. 2nd, 1868. 



It is a splendid scheme, and if you make only a beginning 

 on a Flora, which shall serve as an index to all papers on 

 curious points in the life-history of plants, you will do an 

 inestimable good service. Quite recently I was asked by a 



1 See Fertilisation of Orchids, Ed. II., p. 46, where Lord Farrer's 

 observations on the movement of the pollinia in Ophrys muscifera are 

 given. 



2 This refers to Peristylus viridis, sometimes known as Habenaria 

 viridis. Lord Farrer's observations are given in Fertilisation of Orchids, 

 Ed. II., p. 63. 



3 See Letter 665. 



