From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
William Mitten
Date:
10 September 1857
Source of text:
WILLIAM MITTEN LETTERS MIT f.151, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
11 Sept [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 211; DAR 115: 73a
Summary:
Representative species may complicate tabulation of varieties.
Questions for Mr Anderson about horse colouring in Norway.
Has been writing an "audacious little discussion" to show that "organic beings are not perfect, only perfect enough to struggle with their competitors".
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
30 Sept [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 210
Summary:
C. F. Ledebour [Flora rossica (1842–53)] particularly useful for variety tabulation. Results generally favourable.
Additions to Down House.
Last two chapters of MS took six months to write.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
20 Oct [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 212, 222c
Summary:
Returns some of the systematics books borrowed from JDH. Will now take on A. P. and Alphonse de Candolle [Prodromus].
Arrangements for a visit.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
[23 Oct 1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 214
Summary:
Return of books.
JDH coming to Down.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
14 [Nov 1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 215
Summary:
Rule that species vary most in larger genera seems universal.
Response to Gardeners’ Chronicle note on "Bees and kidney beans" [Collected papers 1: 275–7].
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
21 Nov [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 213
Summary:
Mrs J. S. Henslow’s illness.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[2 Dec 1857]
Source of text:
DAR 104: 178–9
Summary:
News of Mrs Henslow’s death.
Studying Impatiens, which bears on CD’s problems. Though genus is endemic to India, with over 100 species, CD will be glad to know they do not run into one another.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
4 Dec [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 216
Summary:
Inquiries on effect of dry heat on temperate plants for glacial chapter.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[6 Dec 1857]
Source of text:
DAR 104: 195–6, DAR 47: 192
Summary:
Finds CD’s results [of his survey of well-marked varieties from A. P. and Alphonse de Candolle’s Prodromus systematis naturalis regni vegetabilis (1824–73)] "very curious and suggestive". Thinks the Labiatae will present an obstacle to him as it is a very large and distinct order with well-defined species and genera. Would like to see him tackle more volumes of Candolle’s Prodromus, as his case can only be established by evidence from mundane plants. CD should beware of generalising from local species variability. A comparison of C. C. Babington’s and G. Bentham’s [British] Floras [Babington Manual of British botany (1843, 4th ed., 1856); Bentham Handbook of British flora (1858)] would be invaluable. Suggests CD write to Ferdinand Müller and Charles Moore in Australia. Moisture favouring extension of species is important for CD’s view.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
9 Dec [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 217
Summary:
Survey of species with well-marked varieties: JDH’s Labiatae case a "great blow", but result is very generally consistent.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
Charles Robert Darwin
Date:
[17–23 Dec 1857]
Source of text:
DAR 104: 194
Summary:
Sending more Candolle volumes for survey of species with well-marked varieties.
Has begun his introduction [to Flora Tasmaniae]; will not make generalisations.
J. D. Dana’s pamphlet too metaphysical for JDH.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
From:
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
To:
William Mitten
Date:
19 December 1857
Source of text:
WILLIAM MITTEN LETTERS MIT f.145, The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Summary:
No summary available.
Contributor:
Hooker Project
From:
Charles Robert Darwin
To:
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Date:
25 Dec [1857]
Source of text:
DAR 114: 218
Summary:
Species with marked varieties.
Dana’s pamphlet also too metaphysical for CD.
Natural selection chapter on hybridism completed.
Doubts JDH will resist theory in his introduction to Flora Tasmaniae.
Contributor:
Darwin Correspondence Project
