Thuret, S. Rec. March 26 Ans. Feb. 4, 1875 



Antibes. March 3, 1873 



Dear Sir, 



A thousand thanks for your kind letter and for the seeds that you were so kind 

 to include. I am delighted to know that you have such good remembrances from 

 your trip to Antibes and I assure you that from here we will remember you with 

 enormous pleasure and regret that your visit was too short. 



I am appréciative for the seeds that interest me so much, specially those of the 

 Yucca. They grew perfectly in our climate. I am looking forward to collecting ail the 

 species of it that I can find. Your observations on the fertilization of thèse plants 

 are very unique. I will not delay to place your suggestions in action. I will try to 

 obtain seeds from the Yucca pliccata that will bloom shortly and that until now 

 has never bloomed. If I am successful I will share them with you. 



Is the participation of insects the only condition necessary for the fertilization of the Yucca? 

 Why I have some doubts about this is because there is a species, the Yucca aloifolia, that 

 blooms abundantly each year in our gardens producing very good seeds, without needing to be 

 fertilized artificially. If an insect is in charge of this opération, I would be very surprised if it would 

 not touch another species. But if we admit to the hypothesis that the Yucca cannot be fertilized 

 by the pollen of its own flowers, then it is very natural that they are usually stérile in the gardens 

 where they are multiplied by transplant. The fertility of the Yucca aloifolia would be an 

 exception, as one finds in other genders (Linum), where certain species can be fertilized by 

 there own pollen, but where ail others need the participation of two individuals of différent origin, 

 to produce fertile seeds. I would have really liked to offer you something in return. However you 

 ask me for nothing and I do not know what would interests you. In my garden I have some 

 plants whose seeds may interest you; please, give me the pleasure of making it known to me. I 

 will be happy to send them to you. 



Dr. Bourat thanks you for your greetings. He is very busy, already for two years, in the 

 research of the Lichens where he has proven that there is some parallelism with the Algae. His 

 work, which in my opinion is absolutely décisive on that subject, will shortly appear in the Annals 

 of Natural Sciences. 



Goodbye, dear Sir. I renew my most sincère thanks, and ask you to please always believe 

 this. 



Your devoted, 



S. Thuret 



translation Manfred Thurmann 



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