To Daniel Oliver 15 November 1871
Down, | Beckenham, Kent.
Nov 15 1871
Dear Professor Oliver
Will you have the kindness to give me a small piece of information. Is it now believed that the spungeoles at the extremity of the rootlets secrete carbonic acid or any other element in a nascent state, which acts on bones & rocks so as to obtain the necessary phosphates & alkalis?1
I remember years ago having seen a statement to this effect, & I am anxious to know whether it is now thought true.2
Pray excuse my troubling you & believe me | yours sincerely | Ch. Darwin
Footnotes
Bibliography
Earthworms: The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms: with observations on their habits. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1881.
OED: The Oxford English dictionary. Being a corrected re-issue with an introduction, supplement and bibliography of a new English dictionary. Edited by James A. H. Murray, et al. 12 vols. and supplement. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1970. A supplement to the Oxford English dictionary. 4 vols. Edited by R. W. Burchfield. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1972–86. The Oxford English dictionary. 2d edition. 20 vols. Prepared by J. A. Simpson and E. S. C. Weiner. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1989. Oxford English dictionary additional series. 3 vols. Edited by John Simpson et al. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1993–7.
Summary
Is it now thought that the spongioles of rootlets secrete carbonic acid which acts on bones and rocks?
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-8068
- From
- Charles Robert Darwin
- To
- Daniel Oliver
- Sent from
- Down
- Source of text
- DAR 261.10: 64 (EH 88206047)
- Physical description
- LS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 8068,” accessed on 20 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-8068.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 19
