RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1873.07.00]. Abstract / Nitrate of Ammonia July 1873. CUL-DAR55.134-135. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Text 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 volumes CUL-DAR 54-61 contain material for Darwin's book Insectivorous plants (1875).


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   Abstract    Nitrate of Ammonia July 73    (Water of Crystals)

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16    1/2 m. of 1 gr. to 20 oz,    10 each leaf got 1/160 1/320 of a grain (water of Crystals of)

   (1) after 7' some inflection —; after 13' enormous inflection; after 26' all except 8 marginal & this sub-inflected — after 6. 15' & lamina ;after 22. still all inflected

   (2) small pale leaf, after 1. 9', a good deal of sub inflection — after 22. reexpanding

   (3)    do so after 10' much; after 1. 10' almost all sub-marginals; after 6. 30' all except 5.: after 22. all except 3 tents.

   (4) after 10' some inflection.; after 6. 20' sub-marginal sub-inflected — after 22. reexpnding

   ( Glands not darker than water specs.) (Hence 2 strngly & 2 slightly inflected; action not so quick as from Carbonate & endures longer.) (see back of p. 22 for 2 good additional cases.)

17    1/2 m. of 1 gr. to 40 oz, so each leaf got 1/640 of a grain

   (1) after 12' much inflection; after 44' all but 10 marginals inflected — after 6. lam. inflected.    after 2. 15' all but 5 inflected    all 160 tents. — 1/102,400 of a grain

   (2) after 11' grt. inflect; after 43' all but 7 inflected; after 21. grandly inflected & lamina

   (3) old    no effect—  after 21, trace of ring on disc

   (4) after 9' grt inflection; after 42' all but 4 inflected; after 21º, all inflect. except 2 or 3. & lamina

   (Hence no doubt 3/4 of these leaves greatly inflected: one leaf failed & this will always happen: Grt contrast in early inflection with water specs. glands not much or any darker red than water specs

18    1/2 dr. of 1 gr. to 100 oz , so each leaf got 1/1600 of a grain

   (1) young red leaf.    after 38' about 9 tents inflected; after 8. ring on disc, like water spec

   (2) very large leaf ✔ after 8' consid. inflection; after 2. 7', all but 13 t. inflection.; after 8. 18 t. now reexpanded

   (3) rather small leaf ✔ after 10' all inflected except 3; 10 remained for 8.

   (4) a mere trace on discals ( In these 4 leaves glands not dark.)

   (Hence 2/4 strongly affected in 8' & 10' (I think I never saw this in water)

21    1/2 dr. of 1 gr. to 300 oz; so each leaf got 1/4800 of a grain

* (1) after 9' much inflection; after 44', all but 16 the inflection, & some of them torbid from having caught minute fly   after 8. 20' all but 14 inflected

   (2) after 8' some inflection; after 50' a large number inflected; after 3. about half t. inflected; after 8º. 15' reexpanding

   (3) after 40' all but 20 t. inflected; after 8. 10' reexpanding

   (4)    do a large no' good many inflected; after 3. 7' 29 marginal tentacles sub-inflected or strong inflected; after 8. 20' a ring on disc

   (Hence a manifest effect — I remark that conspicuous different after 40' between the nitrate & corresponding water spec. & with that which follows with 1 gr to 400

134v

* tentacles. 160approx less 16 not inflected after 49' = 144 tentacles

1/ 4000 (x) 144 (=) 691 200    each gland got 1/691,200 of a grain

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Abstract    Nitrate of Ammonia July 1873

page

   1/2 dr. of a gr. to 400 oz; so each leaf got 1/6400 of grain

19    (1) (young leaf) after 1. perhaps a trace; after 2. 10' outer discals a little inf; after 7. trace of ring

   (2) (large leaf); ✔ after 40' consider, inflection; after 2. 13' about 60 56 marginals inflected; after 7h 6' same marginals inflected & outer discals & inner marginal forming fine ring; most affected of all

   (3) after 1. a few sub-marginals inflected; after 2. 12' a few outer discals inflected, after 7. traces of ring

   (4)    do ✔ about 18 inflected; do after 2. 13' 18 marginal; after 7. only 9 inflected

   ( Hence I think a trace of action on several; when compared after 1. with water specs but I shd. not trust this had I not seen effect of stronger doses.

   (Same strength or quantity of the Nitrate )

20    (1) after 38' a few inflected; after 1. 7' about 26 sub-inflected or inflected; after 3. 13' in same state; after 8. 40'    all reexpanded.

   (2) after 1. 7' a trace in outer discals, remained in same state for 8. 40'

   (3) after 35' a few inflected; after 1. 5' 9 or 10 marginal inflected; a few more became so;   after 8. 30' almost reexpanded (hardly differs from water spec)

   (4) after 1. 4' a trace on disc — remained so; after 8. 30' no inflection

   ( Hence after about 1º, only one showed more action than some water species; but if taken all 8 leaves & compare after from 30' to 1. it wd be quite impossible to find 8 water spec. equally affected. But I remark with respect to the 4 last, that after 8. 30' the water spec. were rather more affected than the Nitrate spec. for several of these had reexpanded.


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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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