I855-] THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE. 4! 7 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, May nth [1855]. 



MY DEAR HOOKER, I have just received your note. I 

 am most sincerely and heartily glad at the news * it contains, 

 and so is my wife. Though the income is but a poor one, 

 yet the certainty, I hope, is satisfactory to yourself and Mrs. 

 Hooker. As it must lead in future years to the Directorship, 

 I do hope you look at it, as a piece of good fortune. For my 

 own taste I cannot fancy a pleasanter position, than the Head 

 of such a noble and splendid place ; far better, I should 

 think, than a Professorship in a great town. The more I 

 think of it, the gladder I am. But I will say no more ; except 

 that I hope Mrs. Hooker is pretty well pleased. . . . 



As the Gardeners' Chronicle put in my question, and took 

 notice of it, I think I am bound to send, which I had thought 

 of doing next week, my first report to Lindley to give him 

 the option of inserting it ; but I think it likely that he may 

 not think it fit for a Gardening periodical. When my experi- 

 ments are ended (should the results appear worthy) and should 

 the ' Linnean Journal ' not object to the previous publication 

 of imperfect and provisional reports, I should be delighted to 

 insert the final report there ; for it has cost me so much 

 trouble, that I should think that probably the result was 

 worthy of more permanent record than a newspaper ; but I 

 think I am bound to send it first to Lindley. 



I begin to think the floating question more serious than 

 the germinating one ; and am making all the enquiries which I 

 can on the subject, and hope to get some little light on it. ... 



I hope you managed a good meeting at the Club. The 

 Treasurership must be a plague to you, and I hope you will 

 not be Treasurer for long : I know I would much sooner give 

 up the Club than be its Treasurer. 



Farewell, Mr. Assistant Director and dear friend, 



C. DARWIN. 



* The appointment of Sir J. D. Hooker as Assistant Director of the 

 Royal Gardens at Kew. 



