1855.] SEEDS FLOATING. 57 



earthquakes ; this must continually be happening, and if kept 

 wet, I fancy the pods, &c. &c., would not open and shed their 

 seeds. Do try your Mimosa seed at Ke\v. 



I had intended to have asked you whether the Mimosa 

 scandens and Guilandina bonduc grows at Kew, to try fresh 

 seeds. R. Brown tells me he believes four W. Indian seeds 

 have been washed on shores of Europe. I was assured at 

 Keeling Island that seeds were not rarely washed on shore : 

 so float they must and shall ! What a long yarn I have been 

 spinning: 



If you have several of the Loffbden seeds, do soak some in 

 tepid water, and get planted with the utmost care : this is an 

 experiment after my own heart, with chances 1000 to I against 

 its success. 



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 



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

 Royal Gardens at Kew. 



