able sea-transportal. To tell whether any
particular insular flora had thus been transported would require that
each species should be examined. Will you look through these printed
lists, and if you can, mark with red cross such as you would suggest? In
truth, I fear I impose far more on your great kindness, my dear Hooker,
than I have any claim; but you offered this, for I never thought of
asking you for more than a suggestion. I do not think I could manage
more than forty or fifty kinds at a time, for the water, I find, must
be renewed every other day, as it gets to smell horribly: and I do not
think your plan good of little packets of cambric, as this entangles
so much air. I shall keep the great receptacle with salt water with
the forty or fifty little bottles, partly open, immersed in it, in the
cellar for uniform temperature. I must plant out of doors, as I have no
greenhouse.

I told you I had inserted notice in the "Gardeners' Chronicle," and
to-day I have heard from Berkeley that he has already sent an assortment
of seeds to Margate for some friend to put in salt water; so I suppose
he thinks the experiment worth trying, as he has thus so very promptly
taken it into his own hands. (321/2. Rev. M.J. Berkeley published on the
subject in the "Gardeners' Chronicle," September 1st, 1855.)

Reading this over, it sounds as if I were offended!!! which I need not
say is not so. (321/3. Added afterwards between the lines.)

I may just mention that the seeds mentioned in my former note have all
germinated after fourteen days' immersion, except the cabbages all dead,
and the radishes have had their germination delayed and several I think
dead; cress still all most vigorous. French spinach, oats, barley,
canary-seed, borage, beet have germinated after seven days' immersion.

It is quite surprising that the radishes should have grown, for the salt
water was putrid to an extent which I could not have thought credible
had I not smelt it myself, as was the water with the cabbage-seed.

LETTER 322. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, June 10th [1855].

If being thoroughly interested with your letters makes me worthy of
them, I am very worthy.

I have raised some seedling Sensitive Plants, but if you can READILY
spare me a moderately sized plant, I shall be glad of it.

You encourage me so, that I will slowly go on salting seeds. I have
not, I see, explained myself, to let you suppose that I objected to such
cases as the former union