To J. D. Hooker [before 15 July 1874]
Summary
Suggests experiments to try [with Nepenthes]. Asks JDH to test whether cabbage seeds and peas exposed to the ferment germinate.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | [before 15 July 1874] |
Classmark: | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (JDH/3/6 Insectivorous plants 1873–8: 38–9) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9523 |
To J. D. Hooker 2 July 1874
Summary
Thinks Frank and he have worked out Pinguicula well and they long to attack Utricularia. Tried several plants with sticky glandular hairs; some few absorb ammonia, but the greater number do not. If JDH sends plant or seed of Lychnis CD will examine it to see whether it catches many flies. Asa Gray has written him much about Sarracenia, with a specimen showing the splendid dodge by which ground insects are enticed up and then drowned. Describes how it may be investigated, to see whether it absorbs decayed matter from flies, or ammonia thus generated.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 2 July 1874 |
Classmark: | DAR 95: 322–3 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9529 |
To J. D. Hooker 4 July 1874
Summary
It would be interesting to prove that some plants feed on decayed animal matter whilst others like Drosera can digest fresh animal matter. Suggests the method for observing this.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 4 July 1874 |
Classmark: | DAR 95: 324–5 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9532 |
To J. D. Hooker 16 July 1874
Summary
The Acacia must be Belt’s "Bulls’ horns".
The complexity of Utricularia has driven Frank and CD almost mad. Suspects it is necrophagous, i.e., it cannot digest, but absorbs decaying animal matter.
Foster is certainly in error. Every insect that Drosera catches causes aggregation.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 16 July 1874 |
Classmark: | DAR 95: 326–7 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9550 |
To J. D. Hooker 20 July [1874]
Summary
"It is grand about Nepenthes."
JDH is welcome to notice in any way any of CD’s published or unpublished results with insectivorous plants. Gives an abstract of his observations on Drosera.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 20 July [1874] |
Classmark: | Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (JDH/3/6 Insectivorous plants 1873–8: 32–37) |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9555 |
To J. D. Hooker 23 July [1874]
Summary
JDH should do as he likes with insectivorous plant materials.
He has always thought telling JDH what he has been doing was as good as publishing.
Cephalotus seems as horrid a puzzle as Utricularia.
Nepenthes will turn out a great job if the pitchers of different species act differently. JDH’s paper on Nepenthes [Rep. BAAS 44 (1874): 102–16] is too long for CD’s book. Well deserves a place in Philosophical Transactions.
Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
Addressee: | Joseph Dalton Hooker |
Date: | 23 July [1874] |
Classmark: | DAR 95: 328–31 |
Letter no: | DCP-LETT-9560 |