1876 GKAFTING 47 



To C. Darwin, Esq. 



I write to thank you for the slip about graft 

 hybrids, and to say that as yet I have obtained no 

 results myself. This place is too far north to admit 

 of the seeds ripening properly after the plants have 

 been thrown back several weeks by the operation. 

 This applies especially to onions, so next year — the 

 neck of Medusas having now been broken — I intend to 

 wait in London till all the grafting and planting out 

 is finished. I do not think you will regret my not 

 having followed such a course this year when you 

 come to read the paper I am now writing. I never 

 did such a successful four months' work, and if as 

 many years suffice to answer all the burning questions 

 that are raised by it, I think they will require to be 

 years well spent. 



And this makes me remember that I have to 

 apologise for the inordinate time I have kept your 

 copy of Professor Hackel's essay on Perigenesis. 

 Since you sent it I have scarcely had any time for 

 reading, and as you said there was no hurry about 

 returning it, I have let it stand over till this paper is 

 off my hands. 



Lankester seems to have doubled up Slade in fine 

 style. I suppose the latter has always trusted to his 

 customers not liking to resort to violent methods. 

 His defence in the ' Times ' about the locked slates 

 was unusually weak. ' Once a thief always a thief ' 

 applies, I suppose, to his case ; but it is hard to under- 

 stand how Wallace could not have seen him inverting 



