390 EVOLUTION [CHAP. V 



Letter 302 case. The Baron de Villa Franca wrote to me from Brazil 

 about two years ago, describing new varieties of sugar-cane 

 which he had raised by planting two old varieties in apposi- 

 tion. I believe (but my memory is very faulty) that I wrote 

 that I could not believe in such a result, and attributed the 

 new varieties to the soil, etc. I believe that I did not under- 

 stand what he meant by apposition. Yesterday a packet of 

 MS. arrived from the Brazilian Legation, with a letter in 

 French from Dr. Glass, Director of the Botanic Gardens, 

 describing fully how he first attempted grafting varieties of 

 sugar-cane in various ways, and always failed, and then split 

 stems of two varieties, bound them together and planted 

 them ; and then raised some new and very valuable varieties, 

 which, like crossed plants, seem to grow with extra vigour, 

 are constant, and apparently partake of the character of the 

 two varieties. The Baron also sends me an attested copy 

 from a number of Brazilian cultivators of the success of the 

 plan of raising new varieties. I am not sure whether the 

 Brazilian Legation wishes me to return the document, but if 

 I do not hear in three or four days that they must be returned, 

 they shall be sent to you, for they seem to me well deserving 

 your consideration. 



Perhaps if I had been contented with my hyacinth bulbs 

 being merely bound together without any true adhesion or 

 rather growth together, I should have succeeded like the old 

 Dutchman. 



There is a deal of superfluous verbiage in the documents, but 

 I have marked with pencil where the important part begins. 

 The attestations are in duplicate. Now, after reading them 

 will you give me your opinion whether the main parts are 

 worthy of publication in Nature : I am inclined to think so, 

 and it is good to encourage science in out-of-the-way parts of 

 the world. 



Keep this note till you receive the documents or hear 

 from me. I wonder whether two varieties of wheat could 

 be similarly treated ? No, I suppose not from the want of 

 lateral buds. I was extremely interested by your abstract on 

 suicide. 



