RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [ny].07.12-08.07. Cabbages / Salt. CUL-DAR68.64-65. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)

REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 4.2023. 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-DAR68 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.


(A

Cabbages Salt.

July 12th 8° 30' — cleaned with sponge & water at 90° 2 spots & put on sea-water. 1 vermilion spot

Also 2 drops on bloom & these remained spherical. 2 Verm. dots.

July 15th 8° 30' cleaned rubbed very slightly small space with pumice & left it to dry Blue spot

July 18. 8° 30' neither space where salt-water lay seem affected, but more protuberant than they were. — Where bloom not removed, salt-water no effect.

(July 18th 8° 30 Blue spot, not in the least affected by rubbing with pumice— put on Salt water

July 21st 8° surface much decayed.)

(Hensleigh says cabbages grow on low cliffs close to sea at Tenby

(B

Cabbage

July 21. 8° A.m. cleaned with sponge 2 new spaces, & syringed strong surface with water — rather younger leaf than the last —

Put on Salt-water.

(Aug 1'. one of spaces has at last become yellow ie on eleventh day)

(Aug 2d sponged off salt-water 2 spaces only slightly yellowish & rather transparent.) These spaces seem decidedly injured

July 26th 11° 25' sponged 2 spots & put on pure pure water

August 7th. 6 11° — no sort of effect

[65v]

Aug 6'

N. B The 1/2 of the leaves of Cabbage in water decayed equally on both sides


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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 11 July, 2023