From William Masters 3 April 1850
Exotic Nursery | Canterburey
3 Apr 50.
Sir,
In reply to your question1 respecting the impregnation of Peas & Beans when in blossom by insects, winds &c.
Undoubtedly some varieties of Peas & Beans will naturally become impregnated with others when growing near & if each is in a similar stage of growth— Peas accidentally so impregnated have been selected from the rest & thus a new race is obtained— the dwarf blue Knights marrow was obtained in this way.—2
I have never known a whole crop to be deteriated in this manner—but individuals frequently may be seen & if not removed—in a few years by their increase would spoil the stock—
Not so in Cabbage Broccoli Sprouts—Turnips—for here impregnation is easier effected the flowers being open & the pollen abundant— it passes in Clouds & in one Season spoils so large a number as to render the Stock of no value— I have known a single plant of Red Cabbage in bloom—spoil Savoys & Cabbages & Broccolis in neighboring Gardens—and which was not found out till the year after—when mongrels of all sorts shewed themselves to the disappointment of those who sowed—& where the Exchanges of seed took place amongst the neighbors it was very unfortunate—for “all were tarred with the same brush”
I am Sir | Your obedent Servant | William Masters Charles Darwin Esqr
CD annotations
Footnotes
Bibliography
Gärtner, Karl Friedrich von. 1844. Versuche und Beobachtungen über die Befruchtungsorgane der vollkommeneren Gewächse und über die natürliche und künstliche Befruchtung durch den eigenen Pollen. Pt 1 of Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Befruchtung der vollkommeneren Gewächse. Stuttgart: E. Schweizerbart.
Notebooks: Charles Darwin’s notebooks, 1836–1844. Geology, transmutation of species, metaphysical enquiries. Transcribed and edited by Paul H. Barrett et al. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press for the British Museum (Natural History). 1987.
Variation: The variation of animals and plants under domestication. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1868.
Summary
Replies to CD’s questions regarding impregnation of peas, beans, cabbages, and other plants by insects, wind, etc.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-1318
- From
- William Masters
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Canterbury
- Source of text
- DAR 77: 168–9
- Physical description
- ALS 3pp †
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1318,” accessed on 17 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1318.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 4