RECORD: Darwin, C. R. Nitrate of Ammonia Sept 12th 10.40 [application also of saliva, urine]. CUL-DAR60.1.36-39. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed and edited by John van Wyhe 6.2025. RN2

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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Nitrate of Ammonia    Sept 13th 10. 40    Sunshiny

Sept 13'. 4.. 45' in 6.    (2 gr to 6 oz) = (1 gr to 3 oz)

Spec. (I) several marginals on both sides inflected — moderate effect

Sept 14.    9.. 35'    more strongly inflected.    5. P.m still more inflected.    in 24. to 30.

Spec (II)    2 marginals inflected

XX do in same state — sub-marginals at ∠'    5. P.m same state very slight effect

Spec. (III)    old large leaf    (some 3 long submarginals inflected. very slight effect

   XX    same state    5 P. m same state

Spec (IV)    some long submarginals inflected, & some marginals at ∠' .

   XX    5 long marginals inflected — 7 marginals inflected. 5. P.m.    moderate effect — (5. nil 7nil or 8 to 10.)

spec (V)    2 marginals inflected.

   XX    3 marginals inflected.    Sept 14th    5. P.m same state very slight effect

Sept 13th Nitrate of Ammonia    10.. 30'

   2 gr to 4 oz. = 1. gr to 2 oz

Sept 14th.    9.. 45' A.M    & 5. P. m

1 spec. 2 or 3 marginals half inflected — sub-marginal at ∠s    (certainly some effect)

2 spec.    not much action. (perhaps none)

3 spec.    not much action., sub-marginal at ∠s (very little action)

   480 [x] 2 [=] 960 (+] 240 [=] 1200 [x] 2 [=] 2400 (+] 480 [=] 2770
480 [x] 3 [=] 1440 [x] 2 [=] 2880

36v

(2

Nitrate of Ammonia 2 gr to 1 oz    Sept 11th. 10 15

at 5.. 15'. (ie 7 hour)

1 spec. more deeply laterally inflected than any I ever saw

2 spec    deeply terminally inflected & rather shrivelled.

3d spec. leaf not inflected, but vast number of hairs strongly inflected.

   480 [x] 2    Sept 12th    Nitrate of Ammonia    Hot Day

10. AM. put on 2. gr. to 2 .oz 1 gr to 1 oz. — at 5— 15

1 spec.    With all hair, including 2 or 3 marginals well inflected }——Sept 13. 9. 30' all spec a good deal affected }

2 spec.    do    only submarginals inflected

3. "    hardy any effect

   2 gr. to 3 oz.    at 5 20 = 1 gr 1 1/2 oz

1 spec —. submarginals & 1 marginal inflected —(Sept. 13. 9.. 30' one of these 3 specs. with many marginal unequivocally inflected.)

2 spec    some marginals semi-inflected

(Put on albumen & as it did not inflect marginals specimen bad. Sept 15' 10. Am) } do 5.: 18th:— as Sept 14. 4.. 30'

3 spec.    no marked effect. (As urine did not produce marked effect spec. bad.] } (in my account give this as caution.—)

960 [x] 2 [=] (1920)

   2 gr to 4 oz.    5.. 20' = 1 gr to 2 oz.

Pink card { 1 spec    1 or 2 marginals at right angles —(Sept 12th.    9. 45' 10. 30' with many marginals certainly & plainly inflected)

2 spec.    many marginals inflected !! (with nearly all marginals strongly inflected .)

3 spec.    submarginals at right angles. (with many marginals strongly inflected)

14th. 9. 30    still inflected these 3.—

do 5 P.m.    do.    do

See Back

N.B The nitrate was granular & not [illeg] : it was rather humid & I did not dry it. — There is then great difference between it & Carb of Amm., as the latter would volatilise; but of these salt all none put on leaf would be lost.—

/over

37

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White Card

September 15th    9. 45'

Nitrate of Ammonia.    2 gr to 4 oz. = 1 gr. to 2 oz

X Spec 1    5. P.m.    large leaf no effect./

16th 9. no effect..16' 5. P.m Urine after 7 hours did not cause hardy any marginals to be inflected; leaf not inflected.    17' 1. P.m. now the Urine has caused all marginals to be sub-inflected.

   2    3. P.m.    2 or 3 terminal marginals, & 3 or 4 at base inflected; several submarginals at ∠

16th. 9. 25. limb of leaf a little inflected towards footstalk; all marginals, except one inflected at ∠' & more ; all submarginals curled into central part: great effect

   3    5. P.m    no effect

16th 9. no effect. In 7 hours Mucus produced some effect only one marginal at all inflected, submarginal inflected.    17th. 1. P.m. still mucus has produced but little effect — leaf itself terminally inflected has produced but little effect — leaf slightly terminally inflected.

   4    5 P m    no effect

16th 9. 35' sub marginals slightly inflected. 16th 5. P.m. no effect Put on Saliva 17th 1. P.m. saliva no effect

   5    5. P.m.    3 marginals & many sub-marginals inflected.

16th 9. 35' leaf laterally considerably inflected, now I 3 or 4 marginals 7 sub-marginals much inflected. 17th 1.. P.m. leaf nearly open again 18th. 10.. perfectly open.

   6    5. P.m    no effect.

16th. 9. 45.    4 or 5 round-headed marginals inflected, sub-marginals much inflected, 2 or 3 marginal long-headed sub-inflected    17th 1. 15' P.m. all hairs getting straight again. —

   7    5 P.m    large leaf (some effect) marginals sub-inflected most of marginals strongly inflected & leaf itself very slightly . 16th. 9 50 leaf itself most strongly inflected laterally — all marginals except one much inflected. —

   8    5. P.m    very small leaf no effect    5. P.m    most of marginals inflected & leaf itself terminally inflected.    16th    10. leaf itself not strongly latero-terminally inflected, all marginals inflected.

   9

10

(6 Black wrong solution viz    put on) 5. P.m., some footstalk marginal inflected.

1 no effect .    barely slightly acted on by Urine in 17. & 24.

480 [x] 2 [=] 960 [x] 2 [=] 1920

2 edge great effect in 24. (some in 7.)

3    no effect.    mucus slight effect

4    no effect.    saliva no effect.

5 great effect edge inflected    (slight effect in 7.) — (51' many reexpanded)

6    moderate effect    about 7 margin inflected    (51    do  )

7    great effect  edge of leaf & all Hair

8    great effect

Great effect     moderate         no effect

4  5 (+] 3         1 (+] 1             3 (+] 2

[=] 7    2          5

37v

solution 2 gr to 1 1/2 oz water

in 24.

1. in 31.    several 3 to 6 or 5 marginal inflected. (in 19. rexpanded)

2    "    rather fewer inflected

3    "    do    (in 7. some inflected) in 24. edge of leaf inflected) Great effect

4    No effect.    saliva had some effect

5) Great effect in 24. edge of leaf strongly inflected, nearly all marginals (in 4 days rexpanded)

6 very moderately inflected.

7    Strongly in 24 inflected edge of leaf, & very many marginals. s Great effect

8    4 margins sunken.    slight effect

9    Great moderately Great effect    edge of leaf slightly

38

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Pink Card

September 15th    9.. 45'

   Nitrate of Ammonia    2 gr. to 5 oz

   1    5°. P.m. Large leaf no effect./

16th    9°.   no effect./ 16th 5. P.m. 3 long-headed & several round-headed marginals inflected 17th. 1.. P.m. Straight again

   2    5. P..    1 long-headed & several round-headed marginals inflected.

16th 9. 30 in about same state 00 round-headed marginals at ∠s 11. 5. P.m all straight again. do 17th 1.. P.m.

   3    5°. P.m.    marginals at base inflected — a few 4 or 5 round-headed marginals at apex inflected.

16th 9° A.m    disc of leaf much bent in, now standing at ∠' to stalk !! all round-headed marginal much inflected

   4    5° P.m.    no effect

16th 9. 35 no effect. 16th 5.. P.m. put on saliva    7th 1. P.m caused marginals to be inflected but not all or strongly

   5    5' P.m    2 or 3 terminal round-headed sub-inflected.

16th. 9° 35 leaf laterally consid. inflected. Abut 15 marginals inflected. (5. Pm nearly all marginals inflected looks healthy whole leaf strongly inflected) (18' 10. not yet fully open) (19th 11°. fully open)

   6    5.. P.m    one or two sub-marginals inflected.

16. 9. 50. on lower 1/2 of leaf submarginals & extreme footstalk marginals much inflected. The hairs here not proper radiated appearance

   7    5° P.m.    (large leaf) some effect marginals sub-inflected.

16th 10°. leaf terminally strongly inflected: very many marginals inflected.

8    5° Pm.    very small leaf no effect. 16th 10.    4 round-headed marginals inflected not much effect

9

10

6 properly black. Card but this strength put on 5. P.m some footstalk marginal inflected.

19th 9° 50    leaf laterally slightly inflected, 2 long-headed 2   round-headed marginals inflected — all footstalk marginals inflected.

   (Nine leaves tried)

480 [x] 2 [=] 960 (+] 240 [=] 1200 [x] 2 [=] 2400

39

480 [x] 3 [=] 1440 mns [x] 2 [=] 2880    437.5 [x] 3 [=] 1312.5 gr or g    (6

Black Card

September 15th    9°. 45'

Nitrate of Ammonia    2 gr to 6 oz. = 1. to 3.

spec 1    5° P.m    sub-marginals inflected & 2 round-headed marginals inflected

   16th/ 9 30    5 marginals inflected; one or two others sub inflected — sub-marginals at ∠    17. 1. P.m. all straight except one round-headed marginal

2    5. P.m.    no effect

16th 9 30    no effect 16th 5.. P.m Mucus after 7 hours produced very little effect; no marginals inflected — leaf flat. —17th. 1°. P.m. still mucus hardly any effect

3    5. P.m.    one or two marginals subinflected.

16th 9°. 10'    these marginals now all straight again.— 16th 5.. P.m. urine after 7 hours caused marginal to stand at ∠' & leaf less affected than in other case by urine

4    5. P.m    one marginal inflected  hardy any effect

16th 9° 30    1 marginal, several sub-marginals much inflected.

   18. 10°. leaf withered & dyng I think 18th 11°. somewhat revived, somewhat more open    20th 9. A.m    expanded & fairly well revived. —

5 (Wrong solution of 2 gr to 5 oz put on this.]

6    5. P.m.    submarginals at ∠ probably no effect.

   16'. 10. Am. leaf plainly inflected terminally — 6 marginal hairs inflected

   17. 1°. 15', leaf flat, all hairs straight & expanded again.

7    5. P.m    no effect

   16' 10. two marginals inflected, several slightly inflected, & leaf itself slightly inflected. all margin at ∠

   16' 5. P.m inflection of leaf disappearing.

8    5. P.m    no effect    Old Basin

   16. 9. 40.    no effect  Urine put on 16' 5.. P.m on 17' 1. p.m. great effect

9    5. P.m    some sub-marginals at ∠'

      do.    16' 9.. 40'    —(same remarks about Urine as in Nor. 8)

10    5. P..    1 marginal, sub-marginals well inflected.

16th 9. 40''    do & 3 round-headed marginals sub-marginals strongly inflected.— (17th 1. P.m. These round-headed marginals & 1 long-headed marginal nearly straight again.—)


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

File last updated 8 January, 2026