James Caird does not think Torbitt’s success justifies application to Government. Torbitt has four acres planted with seedlings. Has sent back CD’s £100. Shall CD insist that he keep it?
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James Caird does not think Torbitt’s success justifies application to Government. Torbitt has four acres planted with seedlings. Has sent back CD’s £100. Shall CD insist that he keep it?
CD again asks JDH to support Torbitt’s project to breed disease-resistant potatoes. He has also sought support of Farrer, Duke of Richmond, and James Caird.
T. H. Farrer has talked to James Caird. He believes Royal Agricultural Society will cultivate JT’s seeds. CD pledges £100 for JT’s own experiments.
Describes James Torbitt’s plan for producing disease-resistant potato varieties. [Letter is an earlier version of 11406.]
His attempts to obtain a Government grant for Torbitt seem hopeless.
CD is suffering from constant swimming of the head.
Hopes to visit [Sara and William] later in the year.
Thanks for letter. Comments on SBJS’s research on Palaeolithic flint tools.
Agricultural Society will not do potato experiments. Torbitt telegraphs that seeds to be sown tomorrow. Memorial with a few signatures might get grant from Government. Hooker believes plan the right one.
No use in thinking about Royal Agricultural Society. William Carruthers, botanist of Society, thinks attempt hopeless. T. H. Farrer and James Caird are thinking of application to Government. Makes suggestions about experiments [on potatoes].
Forwards letter from James Caird concerning funds for potato experiments. CD will correct his letter to THF [11389] and then forward it to Hooker for his opinion.
Thanks for essays by ASW ["Experiments with turnip seeds", Trans. Bot. Soc. Edinburgh 13 (1876–9): 25–39, and a short notice, "Experiments in singling turnips"] and Aegilops seed.
Has returned letter to Caird and dispatched corrected letter to Hooker [11406] [concerning potato experiments].
T. H. Farrer and James Caird think it would be less trouble to get subscription from rich agriculturists than from Government. CD thinks it utopian to hope to raise variety of potatoes from seed; must be propagated from tubers.
Hooker approves of Torbitt’s plan [concerning potato experiments]. Torbitt, wine and spirit merchant in Belfast, highly respectable.
CD gives his opinion on how the physiological laboratory at Kew should be equipped. It would be a pity if the laboratory were not supplied with as many good instruments as their funds could provide.
Thanks for second lot of Aegilops seed.
Discusses sterility of potato flowers.
Asks how much aid JT requires [for potato experiments].
Asks her to observe seedlings of Neottia breaking the surface to see whether the flower stems grow straight up or form arches, and whether they secrete water that softens the surrounding ground.
CD and Frank think they have proved that function of plant sleep is to protect leaves from injury by chilling radiation. Requests plants for experiment to determine whether underside of leaf is hardier than upper.