RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1873].09.06 Acetate of Calcium / Nitrate of Calcium (application also of phosphate. CUL-DAR56.9. (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).


9

(9

Sept 4th. 8O 45' Acetate of Calcium

4 leaves to 2 dr. of sol. 1 gr. to 1 oz.

10O 20' no action nor before

(1O ,O)

Sept 5th. 8O 40' no inflection added Phosphate of Am

I say none but 2 or 3 leaves a few over pedicel closely inflected, as if salt absorbed by peduncle

― 9. 15 all 4 leaves now have few tents inflected only over pedicel

11O no increased inflection

4O. 40'. hardly any inflection

9. 40' do

Sept .6th 8O 30' very slight inflection tents'. scarcely more than vertical.—

do. 8O 50' Nitrate of Calcium. do. do. do

(1O, O)

Sept 5th 8O 40' no inflection, added Phosphate of Am. m

1O 15' a trace of inflection

10 15' do

11O. slight inflection in 2 of leaves: none in others.

4O 40' hardly any inflection

9. 40' do

Sept. 6th 8O 30' hardly any inflection — Yet there was plenty of Phosphate of Am. in the sol. for I put in a fresh leaf & it was closely inflected in 5' to 10'— So that these 2 salts of Calcium prevent action of Ph. of Ammonia— paralyse them for this action — even after 24O of immersion in the Phosphate.

not nearly so much inflection as with the Lithium salts after equal intervals of time— this difference very odd under similar conditions.—


Return to homepage

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

File last updated 30 November, 2025