Account of Orchids.
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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.
Account of Orchids.
Asks for a note to the Geological Society, since the museum did not have the book Carlyle wanted.
Thanks for notes on Cypripedium and Platanthera hookeri, which is really beautiful and quite a new case.
His son, George, has been observing the insect fertilisation of orchids.
CD has been crossing peloric flowers of Pelargonium, but doubts he will get good results with respect to sterility of hybrids.
Rhexia glandulosa does not appear to be dimorphic. Lythrum is trimorphic.
Discusses dimorphic plants and the occurrence of "precocious fertilisation" in the bud.
Gives some comments on design in nature in the light of the translator’s commentary in the French edition of the Origin.
Reports the recent events of the Civil War.
[Note on verso of envelope:] Utricularia vulgaris is "about as neatly contrived for cross-fertilisation by insects as almost any orchid".
Never mind the letter to the Geological Society; the museum got the book for Carlyle.
Will see to Masdevallia and Bonatea.
Domestic matters.
Lyell’s health.
CD’s eczema.
Hopes CD will solve the mystery of Melastoma.
Wishes to invest some money in railway shares; asks for the advice of the bank’s brokers.
G. B. Wollaston [in "British Orchideae", Phytologist n.s. 1 (1855–6): 225–7] says Ophrys arachnites is a hybrid, which contradicts CD, who says it is a new species.
Thinks GM’s Pelargonium is a case of true correlated characters. Feels secondary sexual characters are only accidental correlations; does not see the same necessity for close simultaneous development of certain characters as GM does.
Will forward a copy of his Orchids.
Can AdeQ verify the statement that the moths of the several races of the common silkworm are very similar?
When the female moth comes out of the cocoon, are her wings less developed than those of a male moth at the same stage?
Reports some observations on the fertilisation of wheat which WED might follow up.
Requests priced samples of paper for mounting dried plants.
Sends concluding part of his recent lecture on orchids so CD may see how his inquiries were represented in one of the great centres of clerical influence.
Asks whether insects are attracted to one species of orchids more than another.
His gardener kept an all-night watch on Epipactis palustris but saw no insects visit.
Believes, contrary to CD, that when anthers arise from petals the development of the pollen is affected by the amputation of the petal.
Believes interbreeding can be used to combine desirable characters, but that, carried beyond narrow limits, it leads to deterioration of the breed.
Has been experimenting on crossing polyanthus.
Thanks CD for sending Orchids.
Reports observations by his uncle relating to the successful breeding of a male mule with a horse.
WED reports on studying the pollen of grass and Valerian through his microscope.
CD has been experimenting on the fertility of peloric flowers, with the forlorn hope of illustrating sterility of hybrids; seeks further plants or seeds.
Has not found insects visiting Epipactis palustris either at night or in the day.
Reality of hybrid plants and birds in nature is controversial.
Has misplaced CD’s forwarding address.