By the way, I have resigned the chair of the American Academy, after ten years’ occupation, and it is taken by Mr. Adams, whom you know. The third class (classical and historical) takes its turn.
TO W. M. CANBY.
Cambridge, June 30, 1873.
My dear Canby,—My Dionæas grow finely, and are the delight of my heart.
Drosera longifolia, also cultivated, is almost as good a fly-catcher.
Now and then I see a little exudation inside base of hood of Sarracenia flava, which answers to what my Southern correspondent pointed out; but is not very marked....
Cambridge, July 7.
... I have also seen here that water is secreted in the pitcher of Sarr. flava before the lid is open.
But I have also seen some time ago, when the weather got rather warm, very minute globules like finest dew on the erect part of the lid, near base, inside. And, lately, during the very warm days, I found in some this increased, and the droplets running together into a clammy exudation. But I want to see more of it. I shall watch, as I get a chance, and the weather gets hot. Look at yours. See if there is anything of the sort in S. purpurea; I think not.
I have not the book yet. But I somehow understand that this exudation on the lid is mentioned in the English translation of Le Maout and Decaisne’s “General Treatise of Botany!” The French has it not. Very likely it has been found out by Darwin, who finds out everything!