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The Charles Darwin Collection
The Darwin Correspondence Project is publishing letters written by and to the naturalist Charles Darwin (1809–1882). Complete transcripts of letters are being made available through the Project’s website (www.darwinproject.ac.uk) after publication in the ongoing print edition of The Correspondence of Charles Darwin (Cambridge University Press 1985–). Metadata and summaries of all known letters (c. 15,000) appear in Ɛpsilon, and the full texts of available letters can also be searched, with links to the full texts.
Has been investigating nutational movements of climbing plants; comments on the opinions of Julius von Wiesner and Julius Sachs. Remarks on the sleep movements of certain plants and the mechanism of tendril curvature. Is experimenting with Porlieria.
Has visited K. G. Semper’s laboratory.
Notes Julius Sachs’s opinion on the heliotropism of moulds: he can see no use in the response.
C. E. Stahl is working on swarm spores which can be made both helio- and apheliotropic.
Sachs has told him that some ferns sleep, and he suspects that some grasses may move.
Sachs also feels they may be working at bloom from a wrong point of view and suggests leaves may need to keep dry in order to keep their stomata open.
A report has arrived for FD which CD will forward.
Thinks it would be a good idea to give the typing machine to Karl Semper.
Othniel Marsh of Yale would like to visit CD.
JDH details the subscription fund’s finances.
Has finished lecture for Royal Society on N. American plant distribution.
JIR’s brother writes from India in support of the protective function of plant sensitivity.
Suggests FD call on Carl Semper.
Inquires about Porlieria: Do the leaves shut to check evaporation? Does it appear silver under water?
Explains how he thinks the pulvinus acts; wishes FD would investigate the point.
CD contributes £200 to JDH’s Royal Society fund.
Reports results of crosses between the two forms of Viola tricolor: 1. Female small flower crossed with male large flower yields all small flowers (cleistogamous self-fertilisation suspected); 2. Male small flower crossed with female large yields intermediate flowers; 3. Large flower crossed with large flower yields self-sterility symptoms.
Has a magnificent bush of Porlieria. There is no vestige of bloom; CD will test for sleep movements. Reports successful experiments on temperature-induced sensitivity of radicles.
He has been talking to Julius von Sachs about sleeping plants that move with and without growth.
Has been approached by [H. R. Hope-]Pinker who wishes to sculpt him for the Royal Institution; asks whether WS has any knowledge of the matter.
Describes sleep movements in Porlieria and his experiments on movements of radicles.
Thalia flowers have interesting mechanism to ensure cross-fertilisation.
Sleep in Porlieria studied.
Oats begin germinating.
Asks for sketches of [Thalia] pistil, in which he is much interested.
Has taken OCM to the photographer’s, and is sending photographs to be signed.
Writes about [H. R. Hope-]Pinker, who tried to approach CD via the Royal Institution in order to sculpt a bust of him. WS advises against agreeing to sit for him.
Refers to Charles Lagrange, who is working on the same subject as GHD, but in a fundamentally different way.
Rejoices that "Lagrange’s case does not seem very bad".
CD is working hard at dissecting Thalia. Has recovered some handiness with microscope.
