452 FERTILISATION OF FLOWERS. [1S68. 



nean Society ; but I dare say the ' Annals and Magazine of 

 Natural History/ or Gardeners' Chronicle would gladly pub- 

 lish your observations, and it is a great pity they should be 

 lost. If you like I would send your paper to either quarter 

 with a note. In this case you must give a title, and your 

 name, and perhaps it would be well to premise your remarks 

 with a line of reference to my paper stating that you had ob- 

 served independently and more fully. 



I have read my own paper over after an interval of sev- 

 eral years, and am amused at the caution with which I put 

 the case that the final end was for crossing distinct individ- 

 uals, of which I was then as fully convinced as now, but I 

 knew that the doctrine would shock all botanists. Now the 

 opinion is becoming familiar. 



To see penetration of pollen-tubes is not difficult, but in 

 most cases requires some practice with dissecting under a 

 one-tenth of an inch focal distance single lens ; and just at 

 first this will seem to you extremely difficult. 



What a capital observer you are — a first-rate Naturalist 

 has been sacrificed, or partly sacrificed to Public life. 

 Believe me, yours very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



P.S. — If you come across any large Salvia, look at it — the 

 contrivance is admirable. It went to my heart to tell a man 

 who came here a few weeks ago with splendid drawings and 

 MS. on Salvia, that the work had been all dene in Germany.* 



[The following extract is from a letter, November 26th, 

 1868, to Sir Thomas Farrer, written as I learn from him, "in 

 answer to a request for some advice as to the best modes of 

 observation." 



* Dr. W. Ogle, the observer of the fertilisation of Salvia here alluded 

 to, published his results in the ' Pop. Science Review,' 1S69. 



He refers both gracefully and gratefully to his relationship with my 

 father in the introduction to his translation of Kerner's ' Flowers and their 

 Unbidden Guests.' 



