RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1878. Radicle of Beans sensitiveness. CUL-DAR209.5.11-14. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Prepared and edited by John van Wyhe. 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-DAR209.5 contains materials for Darwin's book Movement in plants (1880).
11
(1
May. 1878 Radicles of Beans Sensitiveness. See Back Temp. X
(1) really (5) 17' 5° 10' P.m square of sand paper., & shell lac obliquely in opposition to Sachs.— lower black mark 10 m m.
(1) 18th 8° a.m no effect— Study Room yesterday was 66° in evening, perhaps too hot
All this belongs to (5). (18th 8° 45' Temp. 61'
Used
Temp. About Temp. see back
Rubbed
(1) 17th 5° 15 P.m. rubbed like (2)— 18th 8° a.m. upper part slightly deflected from rubbed side
(18th 8°. 45 a.m. Temp 61°— sand-paper & shell-lac— 4° 45' P.m curved at rt angle from card— Card
19th 8°. 15' a.m slightly curved from card
(2) 17. 5° 15' P.m. rubbed on side of dot in back side 6 times on very apex enough to bend pin & shake bean with fine needle— 18th 8° am no clear effect (—19th 7 a.m no effect)
Rubbing
(3) .18th 8°. 45' a.m Tempr. 61° sand-paper & shell-lac. 4° 45' no effect —19th 8° 15 greatly curved from paper.
Card & shell lac
(4) 18th 8° 45' a.m Temp 61° sand-paper & shell lac 4° 45' no effect 19° 8° 15 no effect. but radicle has not grown well Used
((a moderately thick Bristle from a Home-made brush flattened (0.33 in one diameter & 0.21 in another diameter.)))
(5) See under (1) for result
(6) 17th 5° 15' P.m. rubbed laterally like no. 2. — 18th 8° a.m no effect Rubbing
(18th.. 8°. 30' bit of thick Bristle, gummed. 4° 45 no effect (19th 8° 15' no effect ) then the Bristle was put on so as to aid Sachs curvature & is moved slightly in direction of Sachs curvature Bristle
11v
On 16th Temp on Study Table 62° to 63
—17th Tem 63 to 67° at 10° 45' P.m too Hot
18' 7° a.m— Temp. 63
—9° in Franks Room Temp 61° & glass vessels put there
N.B The "thickish Bristle" used, had split into 3 divisions & these were used as "thin Bristles."
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Radicle of Beans Sensitiveness May 1878
See Back p. 1 about Temp. X
Rubbing
(7) 17th 5° 15' P.m rubbed laterally like no. 2. 18' 8 am curved to rubbed side
(18th. 8°. 30' a.m, bit of thick Bristle gummed on. Temp 61°— 4° 45' tip at right angle 19th 8° 20' has become perfectly straight. Bristle
(8) 18' 8°. 30' a.m. Bit of thick Bristle gummed on. Temp 61° 4° 45' no effect 19' 8. 20' no effect, but this radicle has never grown, must be sickly need not count.
Bristle
Rubbed
(9.) 17' 5° 15' P.m rubbed on back like No 2. — 18th 8° a.m. no effect
(18th. 5° 30' a.m Bit of thick Bristle gummed on. Temp 61° 4° 45 no effect Bristle slipped down 19th 8° 20' no effect Bristle
Bristle
(10.) 17th 8° a.m thin bit of Bristle gummed longitudinally on apex 5° P.m slightly deflected laterally, apex had left bristle, pushed it on again —(18th 8° a.m deflected laterally (see back) for at angle of only 26°
(18th. 8° 50' rubbed with needle 6 times on side of Black dot. Temp 61° .— 4° 40' P.m no curvature from dot (19th 8°. a.m. do) Rubbing
(11) 17th 8° am bit of thick Bristle gummed longitudinally on apex 5° P.m greatly deflected from perpendicular at right angles in opposition to Sachs curvature, for fixed behind 18th 8° am slightly deflected from Sachs curvature see back. for angle viz 19°, so angle greatly reduced Bristle
(12) 17' 8°. am little square about 1/20' of inch of, put on with water to apex 5° P.m possibly a shade deflected' (18th. 8° a.m no effect
90°
26°
19
12v
no 10
16°.
no 11
19°.
13 & 14
(3
Radicles of Bean Sensitiveness (See Back p. about Temp.
X
(13.) 17' 8° am bit square of gold-beaters damp on apex 5° P.m quite straight 18th 8° am no effect Gold-Beters skin
(14) 17' 8° a.m. (like 13) put on back 5° P.m quite straight— 18th a.m possibly a slight effect for terminal portion a little deflected from Sachs curvature Gold-Beter skin
Bristle
(15) 17' 8° am bit of thin Bristle gummed longitudinally to apex 5° P.m no effect —18th 8 a.m no effect
(18th 8° 50' a.m Rubbed 6 time with needle 6 time on side of Black dot. Temp 61° 4° 35' quit straight.) (19' 8° a.m do) Rubbing
(16) 18th 8° 50' a.m rubbed 6 time with needle on side with black dot. Temp. 61° 4° 35' no curvature from dot (19th 8° a.m do) Rubbing
Bristle
(17) 17th 8°. am bit of thin Bristle gummed long. to apex— radicle already curved to left, put bristle so as to counteract this curvature. 5° P.m I doubt whether any effect
18th 8° a.m. no effect (18th 8° 50' rubbed with needle as above.) 4°. 35 no curvature from dot
(19th 8° a. m do)
Bristle & Rubbing
(18th May 9° 15' a.m. Temp 61° 4 Beans A. B C. D placed with long radicle Horizontal & so arranged as geotropism & Sachs curvature wd bend downwards tips of radicles & bits of sand-paper & shell placed affixed so as to cause upwards curvature.
(over)
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19th 8° a.m. — A Horizontal with tip very slightly curved down
(Bean kept at etn 62°)
B quite horizontal
C appears first to have curved a little up in appropriate to geotropism & then apex a trifle down i card dropped off
D whole radicle from bean to end, so that chord about 40° beneath horizontal
Considering the geotropism act most powerfully on horizontal underside —it is as much as could be expected that the paper shd have reacted largely the combined influence of Sachs curvature & Geotropism —
There resides at the above 18th 8° am were on average 1 ½ inch long!
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 27 January, 2026