To Edward Frankland   [before 6 June 1876]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R. [Hopedene, Surrey.]

Mr Darwin wishes to know the amounts, in the enclosed samples of earth, of:–

Potassium

Sodium

Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorous

Sulphur2

L

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to Edward Frankland, 6 June [1876].
2
The samples were of burnt and natural soil (see letter from Edward Frankland, [before 6 June 1876]). CD was interested in producing soil lacking nutrients so that he could control the substances plants received and assess the effect this had on their variation (see letter to J. H. Gilbert, 16 February 1876).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-10533A,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-10533A