RECORD: Darwin, C. R. 1865. Purple long-styled seedling Primroses from J Scott. CUL-DAR108.95. Edited by John van Wyhe (Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and edited by John van Wyhe 12.2022. 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.
"Scott, John, 1838-80. Botanist and gardener. Correspondent with CD from 1862 on botanical matters. "The only naturalist who can be described as a pupil of Darwin's" [sic]. Poulton, Darwin and the Origin, 1909, p. 53. 1859-64 On staff at Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. He left Edinburgh "at what...he considered discouragement and slight". 1862 CD to Hooker, "I have been corresponding largely with him: he is no common man". CCD10:598. 1863 CD to S, "I cannot help doubting...whether you fully comprehend what is meant by Natural Selection". CCD11:213. S's name appears on the presentation list for 'Two forms…Linum' (F1723). 1864 CD to Hooker, "I have paid the poor fellow passage out to India". CCD12:319. CD had thought of employing him at Down House, and suggested that Hooker take him on at Kew. S left for Calcutta at the end of the year without having secured a post. 1864 S visited Down. 1865- Curator Botanic Garden Calcutta. 1867 Brief biography by Sir George King, "shy and modest almost to being apologetic", "almost morbidly modest". ML1:217. 1867 CD to Hooker, he had had a nice letter from S on acclimatization. 1871 S offers to repay his fare. CD replies strongly that he is "a rich man" had given it as a present, not as a loan. 1873 FLS. S helped with Expression, p. 21, "The habit of accurate observation, gained by his botanical studies, has been brought to bear on our present subject". 1877 Became an expert on opium husbandry, Manual of opium husbandry, Calcutta. See CCD11-24." (Paul van Helvert & John van Wyhe, Darwin: A Companion, 2021)
[95]
Purple long-styled seedling Primroses from J. Scott. 1865
[data not transcribed]
Of the yellow 5/12 set pods yielding 10.6 seed. by own pollen.—
Of the same by pollen of long-styled common Primrose 7/12 set pods yielding 40.8 seed. or omitting 1 pod with less than 15 seed, yielding 45.6. —
Of the same fert. Heteromorphically all 6 set, yielding 35.0 seed, or omitting 1 below 15. 40.2
Of the purple fl. fert. by pollen from same plant only 6/60 produced pods, yielding average of 12.8 seed.
Of the same fert by pollen of long-styled common Primrose 32/60 produced pods, yielding 29.3 seed; but if all the poor pods (nine ten in number) with less than 15 seed be subtracted will we have 22 pods which yield average of 39.2.
Of the same fert heteromorphically by pollen of short-styled common Primrose 12/20 prduced pods, yielding 37.0 seed, but subtracting 2 poor pods with less than 15 seed, we have 10 pods yielding on averge 41.7 This is odd. no greater increase.
Taking yellow & Purple together 11/72 by pollen of same plant produced 11/72 pods yielding on averge 11.5 seed (for yellow & purple do not differ in perceptible manner in fertility. —
These together by pollen of long-styled Primrose yielded 39/72 pods, with averge 31.4; but omitting all pods with less than 15 seed & under the average is 40.6.
Of the same fert. heteromorphically average of 18/26 pods is 36.4; but omitting all under 15, average is 41.2
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 9 January, 2023