CAKNIVOKOUS PLANTS 155 



I understand you that the pieces should be 1/20 in. square ? 

 I put in big lumps. We have still a great deal to do before 

 arriving at any satisfactory results. The constant presence 

 of insects in all open pitchers is a drawback, and we are 

 going to experiment on virgin pitchers. 



October 29, 1873. 



What you say of the glands being secretory organs is 

 suggestive, and may account for the pouches in which they 

 lie pointing downwards — but I suppose they must be both 

 digestive and secretive, as I understand Drcsera hairs to be. 

 The fluid of the virgin pitcher is very slightly acid. I find 

 the cells of the glands of old pitchers (full of insects) with 

 very aggregated contents. 



I had no intention of publishing Nepenthes, the experi- 

 ments were made solely for your eating, and I hope that 

 you will absorb them in the Drosera paper. I thought of 

 mentioning them at the Phil. Club as experiments suggested 

 by and undertaken for you — if you did not object. If ever 

 these and those on Sarracenia &c. should be worth col- 

 lecting and making a paper of, it cannot be till you have 

 done Drosera. 



In the following spring he notes Lady Dorothy Nevill's 

 gardener as saying that he had fed a Dionaea with raw meat 

 and that it beat all others of the same age in growth and 

 dimensions. 



Pressure of work interrupted experiments till July 1874 : 



I have splendid Sarracenias and will perform any miracle 

 you put me up to regarding them. 



I am charmed with your account of Pinguicula l : and 

 should like to try if Lychnis viscaria has the same use for 

 its viscid fluid — which I should have guessed was to prevent 

 insects climbing up to the flower — but all things now go by 

 contraries ! 



And on the 3rd : 



I have been going on with Nepenthes. I have 3 plants 

 set out in an inviolable place — a very sanctum — and shall 



1 The common Butterwort also turned out to be insectivorous. 



