RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1874]. 3h 30 filtered camphor water (and other water experiments) / Proof sheet of Expression. CUL-DAR57.75-83. (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).
75
9th June
9. 3' 30" filtered camphor water
Jun 9th 3
9th 30' ie after 5' Brushed 2 of leaves once
9. 11' ie after 6' decided inflection in one leaf — 9. 12 marginals & ring
9. 11' 30' aft 6' 30" Some in others: 9. 12' 30" plain aft 7' 30" plain on other
9. 15' some inflection in untouched leaf
9' 16 considerable in do
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76
(June 9th. 74) 3
9. 2' Water
9. 8' brushed 3 or 4 time
9. 16' ,O;
Water
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77
(2
Camp spirit Camphorated spirit
June 9th 8O 30' 2 leaves in diluted (see label—) filtered
8 37' Brushed smaller leaf
8O 47' [-] 30 [=] 17 big leaf beginning to bend (not much different in the 2 leaves)
8O 56' [-] 30 [=] 26 both completely shut. — It is clear that former exper. with camph. spirit was merely too weak.—
9th 8O 32' 3 leaves in filtered plain sol. of camphor
after 5' immersion Brushed middle leaf twice
8O 40' considerable inflection; none in other 2 leaves
― 41 all but 3 or 4 inflected do. do
8O 42' Brushed large leaf
― 44' very considerable inflection 2' beginning, in 3' almost completely shut ✔
45' almost all inflected — cd see then move through lens
46 — Many ones excpt 2 or 3 injured ones much inflected
8O 47' [-] 32 [=] 15 the little leaf now beginning to inflect (8O 49' a good deal 8O 56' completely shut
49 [-] 32 [=] 56 [-] 32 [=] 24
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78
4
June 10
9. 18'
3 large leaves last put in at this time middle foot-stalk middle time
middle footstalk immersed for 3' washed for 15" (2 leaves) & put in fresh water & brushed once
in 2' inflection in 3' very considerable; after 6' grandly
Considerable inflection in 2d leaf in about same time after similar treatment
99. 27 the 2 Brushed leaves grandly inflected)
Th third leaf 9. 27' not yet inflected
― 9. 29' a trace of inflection at one place
9. 32' grandly inflected
29 [-] 18 [=] 11
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79
5
June 11 8O 57' 15" 2 leaves
after 4' took out one old & large leaf & washed & waved for 15" & then brushed it at 9. 2'
9. 4' 30" some inflection — ie 2' 30' — in 3' well marked.
― 5' well marked — O in other specimen (extreme marginals too old to bend)
9. 9' other spec. not moved — 9. 12 no action; (after 15' no action
9. 12; 15"— I brushed the spec whilst still in camphor
9. 16' 30" 15" — this second spc. splendidly inflected in 4' splendid action.
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80
6
June 11'— 9. 16' 2 other rather pale leaves in Camphor after immersion of 4' 30'
9. 20'—30" brushed after washing
― 22O—30" trace of inflection (2' trace)
― 23'—30" quit plain infl (no trace in other specimen) 3' quit plain
24' 30" strong marked infl (— O in other spec)
9.. 27' 30" O in other spec.
9' 32' 30' O
9. 33' I then Brushed once the camphor leaf which had been in camphor since 9. 16' ie for 17' & was unaffected
at 9. 40' O very pale leaf (this experiment a failure)
― 43', O failure from brushing do
10 7' O do
10 32' O— ie aft 1h I now Brushed it twice or thrice again
10 41 [-] 32 [=] 9 ie aft 9' a few inflected, about 6 or 8
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(7
56 [-] 48 [=] 8
Other leaf 10 55' 30' trace of inflection
― 57' 1 tent on one side & 8 or 9 on other side
11O hardy increased — great contrast between the 2 spec
11O 8' not increased — 11O 35 not increased
considerable contrast between 2 leaves
11O 45 no change
Explain reason why I washed & then placed in pure water because I the.
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82
(8
June 11th 11O 5' (Dish 2d water)
2 small & red leaves in Camphor for 4' & then put in water & brushed once (without any washing)
at 11O 9' 15" put both in water & brushed one with longer stalk
11O 9' 15" brushed leaf with longer stalk (rather old)
11O 11' 30" some action — 2' 30" some action
― 12' decided plain 3' plain. 4 ' decided.
― 13 decided — none in other leaf
15 moderately plain
11O 55' no increase (the 2 leaves a plain difference)
11O 15 a trace in other non-brushed leaf
11O 35' no increase in inflection
11O 45' no change in either specimen
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83
(9
June 11th. 8O 48' 1874
2 little plants with 4 leaves (lower one old & poor) under Tumbler holding —10 fluid oz—
with 3 little bits of Camphor about as much as a filbert together in size. —
(9. 3' O)
(Camphor Vapour)
9. 16' 20' O
9. 28' O
9. 35' O except perhaps over pedicel ???
9. 40' O
10 18' O
10 23' O
11O 20' O
11 43' O
2O 30' O
4O — O
6 37 O — secretion seemed increased, not acid
― put on meat on 2 leaves
aft 10O 53 [-] 37 [=] 16
9. 53' meat no action ie after 3O 15'
(June 12th. 7O 45' Slight inflection over meat in both leaves viz a few marginal in each case on one side )
83v
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 30 November, 2025