I have never heard how long you intend staying in the Malay Archipelago;
I wish I might profit by the publication of your Travels there before my
work appears, for no doubt you will reap a large harvest of facts.
I have acted already in accordance with your advice of keeping domestic
varieties, and those appearing in a state of nature, distinct; but I
have sometimes doubted of the wisdom of this, and therefore I am glad to
be backed by your opinion. I must confess, however, I rather doubt the
truth of the now very prevalent doctrine of all our domestic animals
having descended from several wild stocks; though I do not doubt that it
is so in some cases. I think there is rather better evidence on the
sterility of hybrid animals than you seem to admit: and in regard to
plants, the collection of carefully recorded facts by Koelreuter and
Gaertner (and Herbert) is _enormous_. I most entirely agree with you on
the little effect of "climatic conditions" which one sees referred to
_ad nauseam_ in all books: I suppose some very little effect must be
attributed to such influences, but I fully believe that they are very
slight.
Pages:
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211