The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-02-12

or cross and Self Fertilization in the
| Vegetable Kingdom" "The Different
| Forms of Flowers in Plants of the
Same Species and "The Power o.
Movement in Plants of in
finite value to the science of biology.
AS illustration of his wonderful pa
thence in research mention should be
made Of his study of earthworms, car
ried on for period of 80 years, the
result Of this study presented to the
public in his last contribution, 1.-THE
Formation of Vegetable Mould
Through the Action of Worms" In
this work he says: THE plow is
one of the most ancient and most val.
liable Of mans inventions; but long
before he existed the land was in fact
regularly plowed, and still continues
to be thus plowed, by earthworms. 1t
may be doubted whether there are
many other animals which have played
so important part in the history OF
the world as have these lowly or.
ganized creatures"
Darwin suffered most of his life from
stomach trouble, and was not able to
work continuously through the day,
had to conserve his energies with
great care.
Charles Robert Darwin was born at
Shrewsbury, England, February H.,
1909, the same day that Abraham
Lincoln was born. He was son of DR..
Robert Darwin and grandson of Eras-
mus Darwin, naturalist and poet. His
maternal grandfather was Josiah
Wedgewood, the celebrated potter. The
family was in aff1uent circumstances,
the naturalist all his life in a position
to pursue his studies uninterrupted by
financial worries. He early showed
perhaps more than boys usual taste
for collecting, and amid the flowers,
shrubs and pets of his fathers home
The Mount-began the study of Ma
ture. During period of work at Bdin-
burgh university he evinced much in
terest in zoology, later at Cambridge
was strongly attracted to natural his
tory. Cambridge associations brought
him invitation to join as naturalist the
scientific expedition of H. M. S. Bea-
gle, and in 1881 Darwin set forth on
that long and fruitful voyage which
was to color and mold all his future
work. The voyage lasted five years,
and though persistently troubled by
chronic sea-sickness, Darwin was in
defatigable in work. His book, "a
,Naturalist's Voyage Round the World
is very widely known. His contribu-
tons on the structure and distribution
of coral reefs and geological observa.
lions on volcanic islands and on South
America were Of highest value.
Three years after the close of the
voyage, in 1899, he married his cousin,
Emma Wedgewood, union that
proved very happy. There were nine
children, two of whom died in child
hood. In 1912, being in i'll health in
London, he took up residence at Down
House, q delightful country place, and
amid ideal surroundings pursued his
scientific investigations. OF the do.
mestic life there are many pleasant
records. the genial home, the generous
hospitality, the children and dogs, the
devoted servants. the flowers and
vines and pets. 1t was at Down House
the end came, April 10, 1882; quietly,
with no violence of pain, no actual
sickness, just gradual loss of
strength, able to work little the cay
before his death.
He was buried In Westminster Alb.
hey, near Sir John Herschell and Sir
Isaac Newton. On the Sunday follow.
ing the burial, the bishop of Carlisle,
preaching at Westminster, admitted
Darwin had produced a greater change
In the current of thought than any
other man. In Germany the Allge-
meine Zeitung declared Our century
is Darwin's century"
KATHERINE POPE.