1882 PLASHING LIGHT ON PLANTS 121 



I heartily wish you success, and remain, yours 



ever very sincerely, 



Ch. Darwin. 



Do you read the ' Times ' ? As I had a fair 

 opportunity, I sent a letter to the ' Times ' on Vivi- 

 section, which is printed to-day. I thought it fair to 

 bear my share of the abuse poured in so atrocious a 

 manner on all physiologists. 



From G. J. Bomanes to C. Darwin, Esq. 



18 Cornwall Terrace : April 22. 



I have left your last letter so long unanswered in 

 order that I might be able to let you know the result 

 of the next experiment I was trying on the seeds with 

 flashing light. I think in the end the conclusion 

 will be that short flashes, such as I am now using, 

 influence the seedlings, but only to a comparatively 

 small degree, so that it is only the more sensitive 

 seedlings that perceive them. 



Your letter in the ' Times ' was in every way 

 admirable, and coming from you will produce more 

 effect than it could from anybody else. The answer 

 to-day to is also first-rate — just enough with- 

 out being too much. It would have been a great 

 mistake to have descended into a controversy. I 



thought had more wit than to adopt such a 



tack and tone, and am sure that all physiologists will 

 be for ever grateful to you for such a trenchant 

 expression of opinion. 



I have a little piece of gossip to tell. Yesterday 



