RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1877. Growth under difficulties. Gardeners' Chronicle 8 (29 December): 805.

REVISION HISTORY: Scanned, text prepared and edited by John van Wyhe 2003-8, 2022, textual corrections by Sue Asscher 4.2007. Other text transcribed by John van Wyhe 3.2025. RN7

NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here. See a copy in Darwin's papers in CUL-DAR139.20.1 Image. The editors of Correspondence vol. 25, p. 514 give the following notes to this item:

1 The date range is established by the content of the letter and by the relationship between this letter and the letter from M. T. Masters, [13 December 1877].
2 When Masters published this part of CD's letter in his article 'Growth under difficulties' (Gardeners' Chronicle, 29 December 1877, pp. 805–6), he added the species name of the specimen in the text of the letter (ibid., p. 805). CD had evidently asked for the specimen to be identified (see letters from M. T. Masters, [before 13 December 1877] and [13 December 1877]). Cotyledon is a genus in the family Crassulaceae; Echeveriawas considered to be a subgenus. Echeveria stolonifera is the name CD used when referring to this species in Movement in plants, p. 237.
3 The illustration appeared in Gardeners' Chronicle, 29 December 1877, p. 807, and was made from the specimen that CD sent to Masters. The words '(as may be seen in the figure)' were added by Masters; square brackets were used in Gardeners' Chronicle.

[page] 805

GROWTH UNDER DIFFICULTIES.

PLANTS often set us mortals an example we should do well to follow. When adversity comes they are not, as some of us are, overwhelmed and reduced to the inaction of despair; they seem to act on the principle that a difficulty is a thing to be overcome, and if they cannot effect it in one way they will in another. This great pliability of plant-life—this adaptation to varied conditions and circumstances, strikes us ever day, and never more forcibly perhaps than in reference to the various methods of treatment applied to the Grape Vine. It might have been thought that the main lines of practice were sufficiently laid down by this time, but experience shows how great is the conflict of opinion upon a point of everyday practice. Experience also shows that, disregarding extreme  and exceptional cases, the general results are much the same. Skill and care go for much—for very much; but all the skill and all the care would avail nought if the plant did not lend itself to the practitioner, and meet his advances much more than half way.

The following communication, with which we have been favoured by Mr. Darwin, affords us another illustration of similar character:—

"The enclosed branch of Cotyledon (Echeveria stolonifera was cut from a plant growing in my greenhouse, and was suspended on August 10 in my study, which is a dry room, and in which a fire burns most of the year. It has sent out two fine flowering stems which, from the position in which the branch was hung, have bent upwards [as may be seen in the figure]. They have now (December 6) begun to flower. You will see that the plant has sent out a number of small roots. I may add that the specimen weighed on September 1 45.46 grammes, on December 6 36.94 grammes, so that its growth has continued in spite of a considerable loss from evaporation. Charles Darwin, Down, Beckenham."1

1 Darwin's letter is set within an article by the editor of the Gardeners' Chronicle, M. T. Masters, which can be seen in the image view.
The bracketed words 'as may be seen in the figure' were added by the editors. See the important notes to this letter in Correspondence vol. 25, p. 514.

[page] 807

Fig. 159.—COTYLEDON (ECHEVERIA) STOLONIFERA. (SEE P. 805).

[This woodcut was made and inserted by the editor of Gardeners' Chronicle.]


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Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

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