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To John Scott   12 November [1862]

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Summary

Discusses whether or not "male" Acropera bear fruit. JS’s interpretation of Acropera pollination is ingenious. Pollen-tubes of some cleistogamous flowers germinate in the anthers.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Scott
Date:  12 Nov [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 93: B7–10
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3805

To John Scott   19 November [1862]

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Summary

Praises JS’s experimenting.

Has he ever studied the relative fertility of varieties? CD very interested in this subject.

Discusses Acropera.

Wants to quote JS on Zea [Variation 1: 321].

CD sends his Primula paper [Collected papers 2: 45–63].

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Scott
Date:  19 Nov [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 93: B11–B14, DAR 147: 431
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3814

To John Scott   3 December [1862]

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Summary

JS’s facts on Primula are new to CD.

In Linum CD has also found dimorphic and non-dimorphic species.

Plans to publish next autumn on successive homomorphic generations in Primula.

"Fluctuating forms" due to culture.

Urges JS to publish.

Lobelia functionally monoecious.

Where did JS publish on Clivia hybrids? Did he count parent and cross seeds, as Gärtner shows is necessary?

CD has done large experiments on artificially fertilised cowslips. They never resemble oxlips.

Would welcome detailed criticism of natural selection by a careful observer like JS. Most criticism worthless. Expects a great deal from Lyell’s reaction.

Suggests JS do orchid experiment to see if rostellum can be penetrated by pollen.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Scott
Date:  3 Dec [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 93: B60–3
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3844

To John Scott   11 December [1862]

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Summary

Criticises style of JS’s fern paper [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 16 (1862): 209–27].

JS’s remark on "the two sexes counteracting variability in the product of the one" is new to CD.

Does the female [fern?] plant always produce female by parthenogenesis?

They seem to work on same subjects; CD has much material on Drosera.

Does not understand JS’s objections to natural selection.

Offers to suggest experiments.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Scott
Date:  11 Dec [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 93: B37, B49–52
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3853

To John Scott   19 December [1862]

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Summary

JS should be proud of his paper ["Nature of the fern-spore", Edinburgh New. Philos. J. 2d ser. 16 (1862): 209–27].

CD has just found that JS’s observations on the confluence of two sexes causing variability were independently confirmed by Huxley.

CD has always suspected a fundamental difference between buds and ovules.

Asks for examples of "bud-variation" or "sports".

Asks JS to test germination of pollen on rostellum of Laelia.

Offers JS money for experimental supplies, e.g., netting, to keep insects out of flowers.

Encloses an outline of crossing experiments with Lythraceae, Primula, Pelargonium, and others, which he feels would be valuable.

Note on melastomids.

Author:  Charles Robert Darwin
Addressee:  John Scott
Date:  19 Dec [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 93: B35–6, B64–5, B80
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3868

From John Scott   11 November 1862

Summary

CD is mistaken in considering Acropera unisexual, with only male flowers [Orchids, pp. 203–10]. JS has successfully fertilised two A. loddigesii flowers. One is ripening. Dissection of the other shows the pollen accomplishes fertilisation without contacting any stigmatic surface. Abortive ovules found in flowers that did not become fertilised when pollinated. JS suggests Acropera has both unisexual male and hermaphrodite flowers.

Author:  John Scott
Addressee:  Charles Robert Darwin
Date:  11 Nov 1862
Classmark:  DAR 177: 77
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3800

From John Scott   15 November [1862]

Summary

Appreciates CD’s acknowledging his letter and his comments on Acropera. Will send CD the Acropera capsule which is now maturing.

Experimenting on vegetable parthenogenesis.

Structure of Acropera.

Author:  John Scott
Addressee:  Charles Robert Darwin
Date:  15 Nov [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 177: 78
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3808

From John Scott   [20 November – 2 December 1862]

Summary

JS does not fully accept natural selection.

Has never raised oxlips from cowslips or primroses; reports of such must be cases of crossing.

Discusses relative fertility of varieties, self-fertility of hybrids, and plans for experiments on enhanced hybrid fertility.

Author:  John Scott
Addressee:  Charles Robert Darwin
Date:  [20 Nov – 2 Dec 1862]
Classmark:  DAR 177: 79
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3815

From John Scott   6 December [1862]

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Summary

JS not ready to publish on Primula.

Some of his objections to natural selection are based on belief that plants with separate sexes are less variable than those in which sexes are confluent (as in ferns).

Sends his paper on fern varieties [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 16 (1862): 209–27].

Will soon read paper on Drosera irritability [Edinburgh New Philos. J. 2d ser. 17 (1863): 317–18].

How does CD explain capricious distribution of irritability among plants?

P. scotica’s non-dimorphism is native.

Beginning Laelia experiments shortly.

Author:  John Scott
Addressee:  Charles Robert Darwin
Date:  6 Dec [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 108: 182a–d
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3847

From John Scott   17 December [1862]

Summary

Thanks for Journal of researches and Origin.

Thanks CD for comments on his fern paper [see 3847 and 3853]; has great difficulty in expressing his ideas.

Discusses inheritance and variation.

Asks CD for an account of the experiments he would like JS to perform.

Author:  John Scott
Addressee:  Charles Robert Darwin
Date:  17 Dec [1862]
Classmark:  DAR 177: 80
Letter no:  DCP-LETT-3865
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