ant to keep all the plants from Kew
until the spring or early summer, as it is mere waste of time going on
at present.

LETTER 739. TO W. THISELTON-DYER. Down, July 22nd [1877].

Many thanks for seeds of the Malva and information about Averrhoa, which
I perceived was sensitive, as A. carambola is said to be; and about
Mimosa sensitiva. The log-wood [Haematoxylon] has interested me much.
The wax is very easily removed, especially from the older leaves, and I
found after squirting on the leaves with water at 95 deg, all the older
leaves became coated, after forty-eight hours, in an astonishing manner
with a black Uredo, so that they looked as if sprinkled with soot and
water. But not one of the younger leaves was affected. This has set
me to work to see whether the "bloom" is not a protection against
parasites. As soon as I have ascertained a little more about the case
(and generally I am quite wrong at first) I will ask whether I could
have a very small plant, which should never be syringed with water above
60 deg, and then I suspect the leaves would not be spotted, as were the
older ones on the plant, when it arrived from Kew, but nothing like what
they were after my squirting.

In an old note of yours (which I have just found) you say that you have
a sensitive Schrankia: could this be lent me?

I have had lent me a young Coral-tree (Erythrina), which is very sickly,
yet shows odd sleep movements. I suppose I could buy one, but Hooker
told me first to ask you for anything.

Lastly, have you any seaside plants with bloom? I find that drops of
sea-water corrode sea-kale if bloom is removed; also the var. littorum
of Triticum repens. (By the way, my plants of the latter, grown in pots
here, are now throwing up long flexible green blades, and it is very odd
to see, ON THE SAME CULM, the rigid grey bloom-covered blades and the
green flexible ones.) Cabbages, ill-luck to them, do not seem to be
hurt by salt water. Hooker formerly told me that Salsola kali, a var. of
Salicornia, one species of Suaeda, Euphorbia peplis, Lathyrus maritimus,
Eryngium maritimum, were all glaucous and seaside plants. It is very
improbable that you have any of these or of foreigners with the same
attributes.

God forgive me: I hope that I have not bored you greatly.

By all the rules of right the leaves of the logwood ought to move (as if
partially going to sleep) when syringed with tepid water. The leaves
of my little plant do not move at