Volume I Part 41 (1/2)

PS--I do not kno far you will care to hear, but I find Moquin-Tandon treats in his 'Teratologie' on villosity of plants, and seems to attribute more to dryness than altitude; but seems to think that it must be admitted that mountain plants are villose, and that this villosity is only in part explained by De Candolle's remark that the dwarfed condition of ive the etale,' as authority--I suppose the first authority, forhairy

If I could show positively that the endemic species were more hairy in dry districts, then the case of the varieties becoround would be a fact for me

CHARLES DARWIN TO JD HOOKER Down, June 3rd [1857]

My dear Hooker,

I a a prose on reater enjoyment to ether do not open reat value to ard to my proposition I dare say the absence of botanical factsslight variations Indeed, after writing, this occurred tointo flower, and the pistil ought to be very variable in length, and thinking of this I at once felt how could one judge whether it was variable in any high degree How different, for instance, from the beak of a bird! But I aered Yet I think there is so in the law; I have had so : I wrote to Wollaston to ask hih the Madeira Beetles and tellvery anoave me a unique case of an enormous head in a female, and then I found in his book, already stated, that the size of the head was ASTONIshi+NGLY variable

Part of the difference with plantssecondarycases with hermaphrodite Cirripedes The cases seereat variability and abnormal develop a note saying that you had reflected over the case, and though one or two cases seemed to support, quite as many or more seemed wholly contradictory This want of evidence is the enerally I find any proposition more easily tested by observations in botanical works, which I have picked up, than in zoological works I never dreamed that you had kept the subject at all before your ether the case is one h on so infinitely a sin to oes on

Out of sixteen kinds of seed sown on er at such a rate that I doubt whetherwhich has taken place likewise on a great scale, with plants not seedlings, in a bit of round, 2 by 3 feet, I have dailyMarch, April and May, and 357 have come up, and of these 277 have ALREADY been killed chiefly by slugs By the way, at Moor Park, I saw rather a pretty case of the effects of anietation: there are enormous commons with cluht or ten years ago some of these co trees are springing up by theexactly as if planted, so e In other parts of the co tree could be seen

I then went near (within quarter of a mile of the clumps) and looked closely in the heather, and there I found tens of thousands of young Scotch firs (thirty in one square yard) with their tops nibbled off by the few cattle which occasionally roam over these wretched heaths One little tree, three inches high, by the rings appeared to be twenty-six years old, with a short ste-wax

What a wondrous proble the kind and proportion of each plant in a square yard of turf! It is to my mind truly wonderful And yet we are pleased to wonder when some animal or plant becomes extinct

I am so sorry that you will not be at the Club I see Mrs Hooker is going to Yarmouth; I trust that the health of your children is not the motive Good-bye

My dear Hooker, ever yours, C DARWIN

PS--I believe you are afraid to send me a ripe Edwardsia pod, for fear I should float it from New Zealand to Chile!!!

CHARLES DARWIN TO JD HOOKER Down, June 5 [1857]

My dear Hooker,

I honour your conscientious care about the medals (The Royal Society's medals) Thank God! I am only an amateur (but a much interested one) on the subject

It is an old notion of er men in the early part of their career, than as a mere reward to men whose scientific career is nearly finished Whether ood is a question which does not concern us, as there the medals are I am almost inclined to think that I would rather lower the standard, and giveworkers than to old ones with no ESPECIAL clai your attention, that if general claiiving them Think of the case of a very rich rand extent--or such an inconceivable prodigy as a minister of the Croho really cared for science Would you give such men medals? Perhaps medals could not be better applied than EXCLUSIVELY to such men I confess at present I incline to stick to especial claims which can be put down on paper

I a that there are not obvious instances ofhighly variable I have been thinkingor coeneral variability of parts I should look at the law as more completely smashed if you would turn in your reat variability of an organ, and tell me whether it is moderately easy to pick out such cases; For IF THEY CAN BE PICKED OUT, and, notwithstanding, do not coincide with great or abnormal develop in your mind at the variability end of the question instead of at the abnorhly variable in all the species of a group should be excluded, as possibly being so subject of polymorphism

Will you perfect your assistance by further considering, for a little, the subject this way?

I have been soall enus Equus and the results of their crossing Taking eons forand a, Heo! Should not I [have] sneer[ed]

at any one who o; but ood that I shall publish enus

I have of late inundated you with my notions, you best of friends and philosophers

Adios, C DARWIN

CHARLES DARWIN TO JD HOOKER Moor Park, Farnham, June 25th [1857]

My dear Hooker,

This requires no answer, but I will ask you whenever we orses, especially one with the top knocked off The leaves succeeding the cotyledons being alous to e ani striped I shall ask you whether this is so(See 'Power of Movee 414)