From J. D. Hooker [1 November 1873]1
Royal Gardens Kew
Saturday
Dear Darwin
Thanks for yr famous letter— the leaves go back by post— I send the names herewith.2 I could send you a box of far more glaucous leaves than these—with names if you wish it.— You did not ask for the glaucous leaves.
The A. farnesiana—has gone as directed. Your warmer greenhouse will do well for it— please do not water it over-much.3 I shall send you albide too4— if worth it. It is really no use here at this season, when so few visitors come.
I am writing every-where for Drosophyllum.5
I am deeply interested in Desmodium; what you tell me is quite novel, I shall watch over seedlings— It is curious that the smaller leaflets should become alternate in cultivation. Frank—& I could not find any on the wild specimens.6
I shall look out for a Desmod. with small side pinnicles in the propagating pits.—
I had no intention of publishing Nepenthes, the experiments were made solely for your eating. & I hope that you will absorb them in the Drosera paper.7 I thought of mentioning them at the Phil. Club8 as experiments suggested by & undertaken for you—if you did not object: If ever these, & those on Sarracenia &c should be worth collecting & making a paper of, it cannot be till you have done Drosera.9
I am now going to look at the egg in Virgin Nepenthes & shall try meat next week.—10 I do not see how I can prove the fluid to be more acid after the exhibition of the meat— there is but little fluid in any pitcher, it does not reach th way up the Secreting surface.— I now want proof that the fluid is secreted by the glands— how can I set to work about that?
I am glad of your note about the apples. Searles Woods letter is a very confused one & would deny atavism if his principles were accepted. I will send it to Lyell.11 How feeble Lyell is— he came to Phil. Club the other night—when we had a capital meeting— I am suffering from Eczema Auriculæ & am being lotioned & potioned: I have long had it: but it has broken out very bad lately.
I will write again next week
Ever yours affec | J D Hooker.
[Enclosure]
Acacia12
5. a. celastrifolia
8. a. verniciflua var latifolia?
12 a. pycnantha
13 a. cultriformis
19 a. leprosa
20 a. verticillata
21 a. verniciflua
22 a. sp.
23 a. melanoxylon?
24 a. vestita
25 a. sp.
26 a. armata
27 a. parvissima
28 a. leprosa
29 a. retinoides
30 a. pteroclada
31 a. vestita
32 a. melanoxylon
34 a. longifolia var. mucronata?
35 a. myrtifolia
36 a. longifolia
37 a. longifolia var.
Eucalyptus13
1. E. sp.
2. E. rostrata
3. E. sp.
4. E. stricta
7. E. goniocalyx
9. E. sp.
10 E. sp.
11 E. Globulus
14 E. cordata
15 E. obliqua
16 E. Eudesmioides
17 E. resinifera
18 E. sp.
33 E. Globulus
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Bonney, T. G. 1919. Annals of the Philosophical Club of the Royal Society written from its minute books. London: Macmillan.
Summary
Sends leaves and names by post.
Is writing everywhere for Drosophyllum.
Is deeply interested in Desmodium.
Had no intention of publishing on Nepenthes, the experiments were solely for CD’s "eating". Will continue with egg and raw meat experiments. Asks for advice on how to prove fluid is secreted by the glands.
Searles Wood’s letter is confused and would deny atavism if his principles were accepted.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9123
- From
- Joseph Dalton Hooker
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- unstated
- Source of text
- DAR 103: 178–80, DAR 209.12: 3
- Physical description
- ALS 6pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9123,” accessed on 2 November 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9123.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 21