RECORD: Darwin, C. R. & Emma Darwin. 1873.08.19. Put in water 8 berries of the Mahonia with bloom. CUL-DAR66.8. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 3.2023. 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-DAR66 contains notes on 'bloom'. Francis Darwin explained: "His researches into the meaning of the 'bloom,' or waxy coating found on many leaves, was one of those inquiries which remained unfinished at the time of his death. He amassed a quantity of notes on the subject". LL3: 339. See an Introduction to these folders by Christine Chua & John van Wyhe.
[8]
Aug. 20 Aug 19 1873.
Put in water 8 berries of the Mahonia with bloom unrubbed, left in for 21 hours/ on shelf with temp at 91° which fell to 75° during night; these berries remained floating high all the time; except one which seemed to have bloom injured, for it was wetted & sunk at once.
The water remained limpid & the berries unchanged.
8 other berries had their berries bloom rubbed off with handkerchief. 5 sunk at once & after the 21 hours all were sunk, the water was then strongly tinged with dirty purple & tasted strongly of barberry flavour
[8v]
& was slightly acid. The juice apparently seemed paler coloured. Undoubtedly great exosmos has taken place at this rather high temp.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 25 June, 2023