RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1877.11.30-12.01. Asparagus / Draft of Cross and self fertilisation. CUL-DAR209.4.32-33. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 9.2022. RN1
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volume CUL-DAR209.4 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).
The Draft of Cross and self fertilisation is in the hand of Ebenezer Norman.
"Norman, Ebenezer, 1835/6-1923. 1854- Schoolmaster at Down and from 1856 and many years thereafter copyist for CD. 1856 Aug. 17 First payment for copying in CD's Account book (Down House MS). Many thereafter. CCD6:444. 1857 CD to Hooker, "I am employing a laboriously careful Schoolmaster". CCD6:443. 1858 CD to Hooker, "I can get the Down schoolmaster to do it [i.e. transcribe] on my return". CCD7:130. 1871 Banker's clerk in Deptford." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021)
[32]
Asparagus Nov 30th
Not size scale no lettering
Fig 35
Asparagus Fig 35 officinalis: circumnutation of stem young plant young plant
traced on horizontal glass from 8° 30' to 8 ° 15 P.m Nov. 30' to 8 ° 15 P.m & during night (broken line) to 7 ° 15 a.m. Dec. 1s. next morning movement of apex of stem [2 words illeg] magnified 35 times. Seedling illuminated from above
[illeg] of older plan[t] there is by 45, observed in over many
cover the top whitened & a black [illeg] below,
[33]
74
Ipomoea
capsules, the pair it & its opponent have been struck out of the Table.
Table II (tenth generation)
No. of Pot |
Crossed Plants |
Self-fertd: Plants |
I |
92 3/8 94 4/8 |
47 2/8 34 6/8 |
II. |
87 89 5/8 105 |
54 4/8 49 2/8 66 2/8 |
Total inches |
468 |
252 |
The five crossed plants average 93.7 inches and the five self-fertilised only 50.4, or as 100 to 54. This difference, however, is so great that it must be looked at as in part accidental. The six crossed plants yielded spontaneously 101 pods capsules, and the six self-fertilised plants 88; pods: the latter being chiefly produced by one plant. Moreover one of the crossed plants as above stated was very unhealthy and yielded hardly any seed; so that the ratio 101 to 88 does not fairly give
[Cross and self fertilisation, p. 41: "Crossed and self-fertilised Plants of the Tenth Generation.—Six plants were raised in the usual manner from the crossed plants of the last generation (Table X.) again intercrossed, and from the self-fertilised again self-fertilised. As one of the crossed plants in Pot I. in the following table became much diseased, having crumpled leaves, and producing hardly any capsules, it and its opponent have been struck out of the table.
The five crossed plants average 93.7 inches, and the five self-fertilised only 50.4, or as 100 to 54. This difference, however, is so great that it must be looked at as in part accidental. The six crossed plants (the diseased one here included) yielded spontaneously 101 capsules, and the six self-fertilised plants 88, the latter being chiefly produced by one of the plants. But as the diseased plant, which yielded hardly any seed, is here included, the ratio of 101 to 88 does not fairly give the relative fertility of the two lots."]
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 26 August, 2023