Informs THF that Annals and Magazine of Natural History will publish his paper [see 6384].
Showing 41–60 of 61 items
Informs THF that Annals and Magazine of Natural History will publish his paper [see 6384].
Suggests THF write a paper on violets. Asa Gray, once a sceptic, now declares he is convinced whole structure of a flower is adapted for a cross with another individual.
Urges THF not to give up Pangenesis lightly. "It has thrown light on my mind in regard [to] a great series of complex phenomena."
Advises THF that best plan is to investigate the part certain structures play with all plants or orders, instead of describing means of fertilisation in particular plants. Naturalists value observations far more than reasoning.
Dislikes the use of the term "degradation" as applied to the closed flowers of Viola species. Species with such self-fertilising flowers also have flowers adapted for crossing. The development of closed flowers adapted to ensure a sufficient stock of seed is progressive.
THF’s view, if confirmed, pleases CD in that what appears a mere morphological character is found to be of use. Carl Nägeli has been attacking him on this head.
Sympathises with THF at being forestalled by Delpino, but urges him to publish confirmation.
Comments on notes made by THF on Passiflora and Tacsonia. Suggests he examine more species. Recalls his own observations on P. princeps and Tacsonia.
Encloses extract from a letter from Fritz Müller about humming-birds visiting Passiflora, "as a caution about Passiflora in contrast with Tacsonia".
[Signed with CD’s name by Emma Darwin.]
Encloses part of letter from Fritz Müller on Passiflora, with seeds.
Is endeavouring to have included in next census a question as to whether the parents in each household are cousins.
Fertilisation of barberries.
Passiflora.
Is continuing his experiments on the comparative growth of crossed and self-fertilised plants.
Encloses seeds from Fritz Müller, of a species of Passiflora, fertilised by a humble-bee.
Was aware of Maine’s view but never thought of its extension to morals. Cannot avoid thinking that personal property like flint tools must have "strictly belonged to individuals as much as a bone to a dog".
Confesses to intense hatred of the bee [orchid] for its anomalous perpetual self-fertilisation.
THF’s article in Nature ["The fertilisation of a few papilionaceous flowers", 6 (1872): 478–80, 498–501] is extremely good.
Suspects he now has answer to why common peas and sweetpeas hardly ever intercross, a point which half drove CD mad for years.
Recommends Hermann Müller’s Die Befruchtung der Blumen [1873].
Asks THF to examine old flowers of Coronilla for holes bored by bees.
Is investigating whether drops of water injure leaves.
Thinks THF has solved the mystery of Coronilla.
Suggests a reference to Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 1 Dec 1873, p. 497, when THF takes up Coronilla.
Delighted to hear about Coronilla. Urges publication ["Fertilisation of papilionaceous flowers– Coronilla", Nature 10 (1874): 169–70].
Has read THF’s article on Coronilla [see 9400] – "a very curious case"; is troubled by C. emerus.