early the same conclusions that you have done, though
we have reached them by different routes. (713/2. "The Effects of Cross
and Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom": London, 1876.)

LETTER 714. TO F. DELPINO. Down, June 25th [1873].

I thank you sincerely for your letter. I am very glad to hear about
Lathyrus odoratus, for here in England the vars. never cross, and
yet are sometimes visited by bees. (714/1. In "Cross and
Self-Fertilisation," page 156, Darwin quotes the information received
from Delpino and referred to in the present letter--namely, that it
is the fixed opinion of the Italian gardeners that the varieties do
intercross. See Letter 709.) Pisum sativum I have also many times seen
visited by Bombus. I believe the cause of the many vars. not crossing
is that under our climate the flowers are self-fertilised at an early
period, before the corolla is fully expanded. I shall examine this point
with L. odoratus. I have read H. Muller's book, and it seems to me very
good. Your criticism had not occurred to me, but is, I think just--viz.
that it is much more important to know what insects habitually visit any
flower than the various kinds which occasionally visit it. Have you seen
A. Kerner's book "Schutzmittel des Pollens," 1873, Innsbruck. (714/2.
Afterwards translated by Dr. Ogle as "Flowers and their Unbidden
Guests," with a prefatory letter by Charles Darwin, 1878.) It is very
interesting, but he does not seem to know anything about the work of
other authors.

I have Bentham's paper in my house, but have not yet had time to read a
word of it. He is a man with very sound judgment, and fully admits the
principle of evolution.

I have lately had occasion to look over again your discussion on
anemophilous plants, and I have again felt much admiration at your work.
(714/3. "Atti della Soc. Italiana di Scienze Nat." Volume XIII.)

(714/4. In the beginning of August, 1873, Darwin paid the first of
several visits to Lord Farrer's house at Abinger. When sending copies of
Darwin's letters for the "Life and Letters," Lord Farrer was good enough
to add explanatory notes and recollections, from which we quote the
following sketch.)

"Above my house are some low hills, standing up in the valley, below the
chalk range on the one hand and the more distant range of Leith Hill
on the other, with pretty views of the valley towards Dorking in one
direction and Guildford in the other. They are composed of the les