Volume Ii Part 33 (2/2)
From what you say I looked again at ”Bot. Zeitung.” (648/1. ”Ueber Dichogamie,” ”Bot. Zeit.” January 1863.) Trevira.n.u.s speaks of P.
longiflora as short-styled, but this is evidently a slip of the pen, for further on, I see, he says the stigma always projects beyond anthers.
Your experiments on coloured primroses will be most valuable if proved true. (648/2. The reference seems to be to Scott's observation that the variety rubra of the primrose was sterile when crossed with pollen from the common primrose. Darwin's caution to Scott was in some measure justified, for in his experiments on seedlings raised by self-fertilisation of the Edinburgh plants, he failed to confirm Scott's result. See ”Forms of Flowers,” Edition II., page 225. Scott's facts are in the ”Journal Linn. Soc.” VIII., page 97 (read February 4th, 1864).) I will advise to best of my power when I see MS. If evidence is not good I would recommend you, for your reputation's sake, to try them again. It is not likely that you will be antic.i.p.ated, and it is a great thing to fully establish what in future time will be considered an important discovery (or rediscovery, for no one has noticed Gartner's facts). I will procure coloured primroses for next spring, but you may rely I will not publish before you. Do not work too hard to injure your health. I made some crosses between primrose and cowslip, and I send the results, which you may use if you like. But remember that I am not quite certain that I well castrated the short-styled primrose; I believe any castration would be superfluous, as I find all [these] plants sterile when insects are excluded. Be sure and save seed of the crossed differently coloured primroses or cowslips which produced least seed, to test the fertility of the quasi-hybrid seedlings. Gartner found the common primrose and cowslip very difficult to cross, but he knew nothing on dimorphism. I am sorry about delay [of] your orchid paper; I should be glad of abstract of your new observations of self-sterility in orchids, as I should probably use the new facts. There will be an important paper in September in ”Annals and Magazine of Natural History,” on ovules of orchids being formed after application of pollen, by Dr. F. Hildebrand of Bonn. (648/3. ”Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist.” XII., 1863, page 169. The paper was afterwards published in the ”Bot. Zeitung,”
1863.)
LETTER 649. TO J. SCOTT. Down, November 7th [1863].
Every day that I could do anything, I have read a few pages of your paper, and have now finished it, and return it registered. (649/1.
This refers to the MS. of Scott's paper on the Primulaceae, ”Linn. Soc.
Journ.” VIII. [February 4th, 1864] 1865.) It has interested me deeply, and is, I am sure, an excellent memoir. It is well arranged, and in most parts well written. In the proof sheets you can correct a little with advantage. I have suggested a few alterations in pencil for your consideration, and have put in here and there a slip of paper. There will be no occasion to rewrite the paper--only, if you agree with me, to alter a few pages. When finished, return it to me, and I will with the highest satisfaction communicate it to the Linnean Society. I should be proud to be the author of the paper. I shall not have caused much delay, as the first meeting of the Society was on November 5th. When your Primula paper is finished, if you are so inclined, I should like to hear briefly about your Verbasc.u.m and Pa.s.siflora experiments. I tried Verbasc.u.m, and have got the pods, but do not know when I shall be able to see to the results. This subject might make another paper for you. I may add that Acropera luteola was fertilised by me, and had produced two fine pods. I congratulate you on your excellent paper.
P.S.--In the summary to Primula paper can you conjecture what is the typical or parental form, i.e. equal, long or short styled?
LETTER 650. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, [January 24th, 1864].
(650/1. Darwin's interest in Scott's Primula work is shown by the following extracts from a letter to Hooker of January 24th, 1864, written, therefore, before the paper was read, and also by the subsequent correspondence with Hooker and Asa Gray. The first part of this letter ill.u.s.trates Darwin's condition during a period of especially bad health.)
As I do nothing all day I often get fidgety, and I now fancy that Charlie or some of your family [are] ill. When you have time let me have a short note to say how you all are. I have had some fearful sickness; but what a strange mechanism one's body is; yesterday, suddenly, I had a slight attack of rheumatism in my back, and I instantly became almost well, and so wonderfully strong that I walked to the hot-houses, which must be more than a hundred yards. I have sent Scott's paper to the Linnean Society; I feel sure it is really valuable, but I fear few will care about it. Remember my URGENT wish to be able to send the poor fellow a word of praise from any one. I have had work to get him to allow me to send the paper to the Linnean Society, even after it was written out.
LETTER 651. TO J. SCOTT. Down, February 9th, 1864.
(651/1. Scott's paper on Primulaceae was read at the Linnean Society on February 4th, 1864.)
The President, Mr. Bentham, I presume, was so much struck by your paper that he sent me a message to know whether you would like to be elected an a.s.sociate. As only one is elected annually, this is a decided honour.
The enclosed list shows what respectable men are a.s.sociates. I enclose the rules of admission. I feel sure that the rule that if no communication is received within three years the a.s.sociate is considered to have voluntarily withdrawn, is by no means rigorously adhered to.
Therefore, I advise you to accept; but of course the choice is quite free. You will see there is no payment. You had better write to me on this subject, as Dr. Hooker or I will propose you.
LETTER 652. TO J.D. HOOKER. September 13th, 1864.
I have been greatly interested by Scott's paper. I probably overrate it from caring for the subject, but it certainly seems to me one of the very most remarkable memoirs on such subjects which I have ever read.
From the subject being complex, and the style in parts obscure, I suppose very few will read it. I think it ought to be noticed in the ”Natural History Review,” otherwise the more remarkable facts will never be known. Try and persuade Oliver to do it; with the summary it would not be troublesome. I would offer, but I have sworn to myself I will do nothing till my volume on ”Variation under Domestication” is complete.
I know you will not have time to read Scott, and therefore I will just point out the new and, as they seem to me, important points.
Firstly, the red cowslip, losing its dimorphic structure and changing so extraordinarily in its great production of seed with its own pollen, especially being nearly sterile when fertilised by, or fertilising, the common cowslip. The a.n.a.logous facts with red and white primrose.
Secondly, the utter dissimilarity of action of the pollen of long- and short-styled form of one species in crossing with a distinct species.
And many other points. Will you suggest to Oliver to review this paper?
if he does so, and if it would be of any service to him, I would (as I have attended so much to these subjects) just indicate, with pages, leading and new points. I could send him, if he wishes, a separate and spare copy marked with pencil.
LETTER 653. TO ASA GRAY. September 13th [1864].
(653/1. In September, 1864, Darwin wrote to Asa Gray describing Scott's work on the Primulaceae as:--)
A paper which has interested me greatly by a gardener, John Scott; it seems to me a most remarkable production, though written rather obscurely in parts, but worth the labour of studying. I have just bethought me that for the chance of your noticing it in the ”Journal,”
I will point out the new and very remarkable facts. I have paid the poor fellow's pa.s.sage out to India, where I hope he will succeed, as he is a most laborious and able man, with the manners almost of a gentleman.
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