y F.W. Burbidge as being a true
epiphyte on the stems of Sphagnum. Stahl states that the difficulty of
cultivating orchids largely depends on their dependence on a mycorhizal
fungus,--though he does not apply his view to germination. See
Pringsheim's "Jahrbucher," XXXIV., page 581. We are indebted to Sir
Joseph Hooker for the reference to Burbidge's paper.) Here is a fool's
notion. I have some planted on Sphagnum. Do any tropical lichens or
mosses, or European, withstand heat, or grow on any trees in hothouse at
Kew? If so, for love of Heaven, favour my madness, and have some scraped
off and sent me.

I am like a gambler, and love a wild experiment. It gives me great
pleasure to fancy that I see radicles of orchid seed penetrating the
Sphagnum. I know I shall not, and therefore shall not be disappointed.

LETTER 360. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down [September 26th 1863].

...About New Zealand, at last I am coming round, and admit it must have
been connected with some terra firma, but I will die rather than admit
Australia. How I wish mountains of New Caledonia were well worked!...

LETTER 361. TO J.D. HOOKER.

(361/1. In the earlier part of this letter Mr. Darwin refers to a review
on Planchon in the "Nat. History Review," April 1865. There can be
no doubt, therefore, that "Thomson's article" must be the review of
Jordan's "Diagnoses d'especes nouvelles ou meconnues," etc., in the
same number, page 226. It deals with "lumpers" and "splitters," and a
possible trinomial nomenclature.)

April 17th [1865].

I have been very much struck by Thomson's article; it seems to me quite
remarkable for its judgment, force, and clearness. It has interested me
greatly. I have sometimes loosely speculated on what nomenclature would
come to, and concluded that it would be trinomial. What a name a
plant will formally bear with the author's name after genus (as some
recommend), and after species and subspecies! It really seems one of
the greatest questions which can be discussed for systematic Natural
History. How impartially Thomson adjusts the claims of "hair-splitters"
and "lumpers"! I sincerely hope he will pretty often write reviews or
essays. It is an old subject of grief to me, formerly in Geology and of
late in Zoology and Botany, that the very best men (excepting those who
have to write principles and elements, etc.) read so little, and give
up nearly their whole time to original work. I have often thought that
science would prog