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To A. S. Wilson   6 March 1878

Down

March 6th. 1878

Dear Sir

I am much obliged for the Essays—that on Turnip seed I know—and the other which I hope soon to read, and for the magnificent supply of seeds of Ægilops.—1 Some are now put to germinate, and these may probably turn out very interesting with respect to a special point in regard to the growth of radicles, to which I have lately been attending.2 Rimpau was despatched yesterday.3

With many thanks | Yours faithfully | Ch. Darwin

Copy

1
Wilson’s paper ‘Experiments with turnip seeds’ (Wilson 1877) in the Darwin Pamphlet Collection–CUL is bound with a short printed notice, ‘Experiments in singling turnips’, dated 20 December 1877. Wilson 1877 is cited in Movement of plants, pp. 230, 298. CD had requested seed of Aegilops ovata (a synonym of A. geniculata, ovate goatgrass) in his letter to A. S. Wilson, 23 February 1878.
2
CD was studying the sensitivity and movement of radicles (embryonic roots) as part of his work on the movement of plants (see Movement of plants, pp. 68–77).
3
CD had offered to send Wilson two articles by Wilhelm Rimpau (Rimpau 1877a and 1877b; see letter to A. S. Wilson, 23 February 1878 and n. 7).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-11402,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-11402