Discusses matters relating to Great Western Railway Company stock.
Showing 1–20 of 52 items
Discusses matters relating to Great Western Railway Company stock.
High praise for Island life; ARW’s "best book". Encloses notes of comments and criticism. Hooker pleased by dedication.
Thanks for seeds of Megarrhiza and for information in letter to Asa Gray.
Will send copy of Movement in plants in which Megarrhiza is discussed [see pp. 81–2].
Thanks for address honouring him.
Has read THH’s review of Sir Wyville Thomson’s [Introduction to the] Voyage of the "Challenger".
Sends a draft of a letter for Nature [Collected papers 2: 223–4]. He particularly asks THH to decide whether he should include a certain paragraph [see ML 1: 389].
Refers correspondent to Descent for some information on marriage arrangements, and on the mental and moral nature of monkeys.
Sir Wyville Thomson misunderstands natural selection when he says the theory "refers the evolution of species to extreme variation guided only by natural selection". CD demurs at the "extreme variation" and the "only". No one has said evolution depends only on natural selection. CD has adduced many facts on the effects of use and disuse and on the direct action of the environment.
Believes the flexure in GM’s dead animals must result from the greater strength of the muscles on the left side. Thinks his son George once tested the strength of each leg of a group of boys, and CD could get his notes if wanted.
Thanks for information about Wallace. Is preparing memorial to be submitted to Government [seeking pension for Wallace].
Sends draft of memorial for a pension for Wallace with suggested names of signers. Asks THH’s help.
Comments on DM’s ["The Moel-Tryfan shelly deposits", Q. J. Geol. Soc. Lond. 37 (1881): 351–69].
Comments on cause of earthquakes.
Believes formation of ice lowered level of sea.
Comments on hybridisation; cites authorities. Sends book by Wilhelm Olbers Focke [Die Pflanzen-Mischlinge (1881)].
Thanks for information on the slope of ground at Worcester.
CD’s passion now is worms.
Sends Movement in plants. While correcting proof, CD remembered an old article by HHJ, which he regrets not including.
Comments on her new book [Life and her children (1880)]. "… you have treated evolution with much dexterity and truthfulness".
Surprising thought that diseases of plants should illustrate human pathology.
Will recommend A. B. Frank’s article in a German encyclopedia, on diseases of plants, to Francis Darwin.
Gives JP a good case of regeneration in plants – the radicle of the common bean. That plants have little power of regeneration is not difficult to understand by anyone who believes in Pangenesis, "if such a man exists … There is reason to think that my imaginary gemmules have small power of passing from cell to cell."
Refers to early experiments in which he tried to produce galls in plants by injecting poisons.
Comments on GJR’s article on hybridisation.
Recommends his article ["Fertility and hybrids from the Chinese and common goose", Collected papers 2: 219–20].
Discusses crosses of Lythrum.
Although he cannot use the Neapolitan work, his respect for the service to science rendered by the Zoological Station at Naples leads him to subscribe.
BJS’s case is one of the direct action of the pollen of one variety on the mother plant of another variety. Gives references to analogous cases.
Receiving deputation gave CD pleasure.
Is obliged for the clear answers to his queries.
Regrets that his health will not permit a visit to Wroxeter.
Will sign his name on next page, but "what geese people are about autographs".