To Asa Gray 22 January [1862]
Summary
Dimorphism: "new cases are tumbling in almost daily".
U. S. politics.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 22 Jan [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (74) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3404 |
To Asa Gray 16 February [1862]
Summary
Floral structure of Melastoma. Asks AG to observe position of pistils in lately-opened flowers of different plants.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 16 Feb [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (63) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3448 |
From Asa Gray 18 February 1862
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 18 Feb 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 106 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3451 |
From Asa Gray 6 March [1862]
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 6 Mar [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 107 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3467 |
To Asa Gray 15 March [1862]
Summary
Gives some observations on changes in pistil position with age in Monochaetum. Asks whether AG can observe Rhexia for similar movements.
"One of the best men, though at present unknown", H. W. Bates, has taken up natural selection.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 15 Mar [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (64) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3473 |
From Asa Gray 31 March [1862]
Summary
Has been reading J. D. Morell’s new book on psychology [An introduction to mental philosophy, on the inductive method (1862)].
Progress of the Civil War.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 31 Mar [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 108 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3489 |
To Asa Gray 21 April [1862]
Summary
Is sending first half of orchid book.
Feels he is wrong about Melastoma.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 21 Apr [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (65) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3513 |
From Asa Gray 18 May 1862
Summary
Has received first sheets of Orchids and is very impressed. "What a skill & genius you have for these researches."
Details of U. S. orchids.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 18 May 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 109 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3559 |
From Asa Gray [2 June 1862]
Summary
Discusses heterostyly in Houstonia.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [2 June 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 110 (ser. 2): 66 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3588 |
To Asa Gray 10–20 June [1862]
Summary
Thanks AG for praise of Orchids and his notes on several American species of orchid. Comments on AG’s observations.
Is experimenting [on dimorphism] with Rhexia and Melastoma.
Asks AG’s opinion of a paper by Thomas Meehan ["On the uniformity of relative characters between allied species of European and American trees", Proc. Philadelphia Acad. Nat. Sci. (1862): 10–13] which is the best case of the apparently direct action of the conditions of life CD has seen.
Requests postage stamp for his ill son [Leonard].
Thanks AG for observations on Cypripedium and gives recent observations of his own.
Arethusa is very pretty; structure seems like that of Vanilla.
Finds the little (so-called imperfect) flowers of Viola and Oxalis curious: the pollen-grains emit their tubes whilst within the anthers, and they travel in straight lines right to the stigmas.
Sympathises with events in the U. S.
Reports on French translation of Origin by Mlle C. Royer, "one of the cleverest & oddest women in Europe".
Alphonse de Candolle says he wants direct proof of natural selection; "he will have to wait a long time for that".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 10–20 June [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (66) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3595 |
From Asa Gray [late June 1862]
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | [late June 1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 110 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3631 |
To Asa Gray 1 July [1862]
Summary
Thanks for notes on Cypripedium and Platanthera hookeri, which is really beautiful and quite a new case.
His son, George, has been observing the insect fertilisation of orchids.
CD has been crossing peloric flowers of Pelargonium, but doubts he will get good results with respect to sterility of hybrids.
Rhexia glandulosa does not appear to be dimorphic. Lythrum is trimorphic.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 1 July [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (69) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3634 |
From Asa Gray 2–3 July 1862
Summary
Discusses dimorphic plants and the occurrence of "precocious fertilisation" in the bud.
Gives some comments on design in nature in the light of the translator’s commentary in the French edition of the Origin.
Reports the recent events of the Civil War.
[Note on verso of envelope:] Utricularia vulgaris is "about as neatly contrived for cross-fertilisation by insects as almost any orchid".
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 2–3 July 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 110a, 112–12a |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3637 |
To Asa Gray 14 July [1862]
Summary
Adaptations of orchid flowers. Believes the structure of all irregular flowers is adaptation to insect fertilisation.
Linum grandiflorum distinguishes its own pollen so that when placed on stigma of same flower the pollen-tube is not even exserted.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 14 July [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (70) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3656 |
From Asa Gray 15 July [1862]
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 15 July [1862] |
Classmark: | DAR 110 (ser. 2): 116, DAR 165: 113 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3659 |
From Asa Gray 21 July 1862
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 21 July 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 114 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3661 |
To Asa Gray 23[–4] July [1862]
Summary
AG’s orchid observations are admirable.
Owen has lectured on birds’ descending from one form.
French criticism of CD’s Primula paper.
Only AG has seen that Orchids was "a ""flank movement"" on the enemy".
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 23[–4] July [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (76) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3662 |
To Asa Gray 28 July [1862]
Summary
AG’s "capital" review of Orchids [Am. J. Sci. 2d ser. 34 (1862): 138–44].
Thinks there are three forms of Lythrum salicaria.
Discusses transport of seeds by sea.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Asa Gray |
Date: | 28 July [1862] |
Classmark: | Gray Herbarium of Harvard University (75) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3667 |
From Asa Gray 29 July 1862
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 29 July 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 165: 115 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3670 |
From Asa Gray 4 August 1862
Summary
Gives J. T. Rothrock’s observations on the structure and fertility of the two forms of Houstonia. Mentions his own observations on Rhexia virginica and Gymnadenia tridentata.
Author: | Asa Gray |
Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Date: | 4 Aug 1862 |
Classmark: | DAR 110 (ser. 2): 67–9 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-3679 |