SOUTH AFEICAN OECHIDS : 1863 221 



(as in English Orchids) between the rapidity of the 

 setting of the viscid matter and nectar being stored 

 ready for suction or confined in cellular tissue. 



I was at Kew 2 or 3 days ago and was telling 

 Dr. Hooker and Mr H. Gower of your work : they 

 expressed a strong wish to try whether they could not 

 cultivate some of your wonderful forms ; and tempted 

 me by saying that if they could flower them, I sh d 

 have plants to examine. I said I would mention the 

 subject to you ; but that of course I doubted whether 

 you had time and inclination to get them dug up. 

 They said the roots might be packed in almost dry 

 peaty soil or charcoal in moss, and sent to " Royal 

 Gardens[.] Kew, London," marking what they were, i. e. 

 terrestrial orchids from the Cape. They ought to be 

 dug up, when completely dormant after seeding over. 

 It certainly would be a treat to see a blooming 

 Satyrium, or Disperis and the odd unnamed form ! 

 They said the safest way of all, but more troublesome, 

 to send them, would be to plant them in pots in a box, 

 with a [sic] little glazed windows on two sides under 

 charge of some passenger. The heat starting them 

 would be the great risk. But it is not at all likely 

 you could spare time from your own pursuits. 1 



Pray believe me, my dear Sir 



Yours sincerely and obliged 



CH. DARWIN 



1 Mr. Trimen informs me that a good many orchids were got 

 together and dispatched, but (probably owing to unsuitable treat- 

 ment) did not appear to prosper ; and by the time a few of them 

 contrived to flower, Darwin was too much occupied with other 

 pressing work to be able to examine them. 



