[261a]

March 7th. Nutation of growing stem

Pelargonium

8°· 45

9'  20   to so called light & left

10  9'    back from light

10 55 ‒   almost same spot

11  53    a little from light

12 48     from light

1.  46      from light & little to right

2.  55      far from light

 3. 55

3 55   less magnified other mark   ⨀

5 · 20     from light old course

7° 20      ⎼⎼⎼do    & to right

9·    5    from light & right

10· 20    from light

8th 7° a.m

Moved all day & night from so-

-called light & therefore to side

whence leaves had been cut off

  in somewhat zig-zage line

  Tracing rubbed out

See over

 

 

Plumbago    Blue  ?

Twig much inclined sub-horizontal

8° · 45       [sketch]

9°  20    to so-called light & Right

10°  9    from light

10·  55    to left

{

11°  53    to light again

  (slewed pot little round)

11°  55    new dot (nearer to me)

12  48     to right & light same course as before

  1  46      far to right

  2   55      far to right

2. 55  new dot— moved stick

now far to right, branched had

  bowed down ⎼⎼ not traced

3. 55  new dot

5 · 20'    to right old course.

7°  20     far far to right

7°  20    ⨀ new   dot

9·  5  ‒  to right   old course

10. 20   from light‒ so change

8th   7° a.m

    8°  a trace to right & from light

[261av]

[possibly a draft of Darwin to T. H. Farrer March 1878]

Should the Ag. cor. agree to undertake the work, as is earnestly to be derived, Mr Torbitt knowledge given by experience wd be especially valuable, & are not like of his plan is given in his private letter. +++ But I can speak from experience in analogous experimental work, thus extreme care & patience

[insertion:] It wd. certainly be

+++ seedlings at this fine start in life are apt to suffer much from all sorts of accidents, & I understand Mr Torbitt raises them in flower pots.

body of men, can by succeed in raising a fungus ─ proof Potato, he or they will be public benefactor of no common kind.─ [5 words illeg] C.D.

[in margin:] Should a really safe variety be raised number & [illeg] will know case better than I can be lent method of frequency rarely 5 [illeg]

[261a2]

March 8?

Pelargonium

8°   a.m.   new dot

9°   from light & to right (old course)

10°  20'   same course

11   10     do

12 7    to right

1°

2     same general course

3°  to right & little to light

4   —  same course

5     from light & to left

5  48    to right

7 '· 20   same course

9° —   nearly same course

10  20     do

9' 6° 55

    8· 12'    to light

    9.  20     to left

    10  ·  24    to light short way

    11  ·  20   moved very little

    12   5      same spot

12°  5    new spot more magnified

12  52    to light & right

  2°    to light

  3°   very short distance same course

  4°     do          do

  5 12'     a little to Left

  6. 5      to left

  7. 20    an atom same course

  8 · 30    same course

  10   30     do

 

 

  Plumbago Capensis

8'  a trace to right & from light

9    from light & to left

10· 20   to light & left

11.  10     from light

12.  7     same spot almost

1°     from light & to left

2°     to left

3     from light & little to right

4°     almost same spot

5       from light & to left

5 · 48    from light

7. 20      to light & left

9°     from light

10. 20     to light & right

9th  6° 55

8° 12   from light & to left

9· 20    do

10. 24    gone back on old line

11 20    moved very little   cut off bit of leaf & dot moved more to left a little not marked

12° 5    on Right line

12. 52    nearly same spot

2h    to light & left

3°   gone back from light an inextricable tangle

4°   not marked

10° 30'  on light side of scrattle

7° 50 a.m. just above scrattle

10th 7° 55' a m /—8° / 9° 30' / 12° 15' / 2° 40' / 4° / 6° / 7° 30' to right across head of arrow)

[261b]

[261b]

Sunday 10th

Pelargonium

   Pellargonium

   9°    5   Pm

  10. 30'  same course

11th.    6° 50' a.m

     8° a.m.

 

  distance    8   6/8

       .78 distance from bead to mark

   Height of Plant 7½ inches

    Filament fixed ½ inch from summit

8.750 [÷] .78 [=] 11.2 — say 11 times

 

  .500 [÷] 13 [=] .384

1/26th — space scrattled over

Distance    6 7/8

bead to card   .53

Branch about   35° above Horizon

           say 13 times

6  7.000 [÷] .53 [=] 13.2