eference should be made to the paper by
Brown and Escombe. See also C. de Candolle "On Latent Life in Seeds,"
"Brit. Assoc. Report," 1896, page 1023 and F. Escombe, "Science
Progress," Volume I., N.S., page 585, 1897.)

LETTER 578. TO J.S. HENSLOW. Down, Saturday [November 5th, 1843].

I sent that weariful Atriplex to Babington, as I said I would, and
he tells me that he has reared a facsimile by sowing the seeds of A.
angustifolia in rich soil. He says he knows the A. hastata, and that it
is very different. Until your last note I had not heard that Mr. Kemp's
seeds had produced two Polygonums. He informs me he saw each plant bring
up the husk of the individual seed which he planted. I believe myself in
his accuracy, but I have written to advise him not to publish, for as
he collected only two kinds of seeds--and from them two Polygomuns, two
species or varieties of Atriplex and a Rumex have come up, any one would
say (as you suggested) that more probably all the seeds were in the
soil, than that seeds, which must have been buried for tens of thousands
of years, should retain their vitality. If the Atriplex had turned out
new, the evidence would indeed have been good. I regret this result of
poor Mr. Kemp's seeds, especially as I believed, from his statements and
the appearance of the seeds, that they did germinate, and I further have
no doubt that their antiquity must be immense. I am sorry also for the
trouble you have had. I heard the other day through a circuitous course
how you are astonishing all the clodhoppers in your whole part of the
county: and [what is] far more wonderful, as it was remarked to me, that
you had not, in doing this, aroused the envy of all the good surrounding
sleeping parsons. What good you must do to the present and all
succeeding generations. (578/1. For an account of Professor Henslow's
management of his parish of Hitcham see "Memoir of the Rev. John Stevens
Henslow, M.A." by the Rev. Leonard Jenyns: 8vo, London, 1862.)

LETTER 579. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, November 14th [1855].

You well know how credulous I am, and therefore you will not be
surprised at my believing the Raspberry story (579/1. This probably
refers to Lindley's story of the germination of raspberry seeds taken
from a barrow 1600 years old.): a very similar case is on record in
Germany--viz., seeds from a barrow; I have hardly zeal to translate it
for the "Gardeners' Chronicle." (579/2. "Vitality of Seeds," "Gardeners'