From G. J. Romanes   24 March 1881

18 Cornwall Terrace, Regent’s Park, N.W.:

March 24, 1881.

I write to ask you what you think of the following idea as to a possible method of attacking Pangenesis. Why not, I mean, inarch, at an early period of their growth, the seed-vessels or ovaries of plants belonging to different varieties? If adhesion takes place, the ovary might then be severed from its parent plant, and left to develop upon the foreign one.1

If you think this a possible experiment, now would be the time of year to try it. Therefore I write to ask whether you do think it possible, and if so, what plants you may think it would be best to try it with.

All the cats I have hitherto let out of their respective bags have shown themselves exceedingly stupid, not one having found her way back.2

Very sincerely and most respectfully yours, | Geo. J. Romanes.

1
Inarch: graft. Romanes began experiments to test CD’s hypothesis of pangenesis using graft hybrids in 1875 (see, for example, Correspondence vol. 23, letter from G. J. Romanes, 14 July 1875).
2
See letter from G. J. Romanes, [6 or 13 or 20] March 1881. Romanes was testing the homing ability of domestic cats.

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13097,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13097