From Francis Darwin [2 June 1876]1
dear father
i’m afraid my discovery must be rather bad for you. there is no more news about it; i want very much to try some dodge to make the protoplasm contract right into the cells.2 i think i have got a dodge to see the protoplasm in drosera in a dead state; it is strasbuger’s plan for delicate prot⟨o⟩plasm. i kill the tentacle in very weak osmic acid; then coagulate them in absolute alcihol, & mount in a particular way in glycerine. i shall now be able to make out what happens to the flowing protoplasm during aggregation.3
we come tomorrow by a train that leaves orp. at 11.34; we have no bradshaw, but we shall come by the first train we can4
my paper went off pretty well, not quite so well as the old s stipa, i think.5 i will have a good look for musk orchids this afternoon.6
yours affec | F D
Footnotes
Summary
Has got a dodge to see protoplasm in Drosera in dead state. Comes to Hopedene with Amy tomorrow. his paper went off well.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-10526F
- From
- Francis Darwin
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- [Down]
- Source of text
- DAR 274.1: 39
- Physical description
- TLS(A)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 10526F,” accessed on 6 October 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-10526F.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 24