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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Letter from William Turner Thiselton-Dyer, regarding a paper '“Nitragin” and the nodules of leguminous plants' by Maria Dawson

Reference number: RR/14/29

Date: 21 December 1898

Description

The report by Robert Warington [RR/14/27] is what he expected, and agrees the paper is not suitable for the Philosophical Transactions. The conclusions are probably erroneous. 'On the other hand the Council appears to be disposed to lower the standard which has hitherto been tacitly observed. The nemesis [?] will probably be [illegible]. The Society will be inundated with second-rate papers which will overtax its resources. If the Government Grant is to be used for the purpose then I think its application is abusive. First-rate scientific papers formerly were mature and well-verified affairs. Conclusions were given in concise and pregnant [?] language. Now everything is shorthand [?] in verbosity and laboratory notes. However all this is for the [Committee] to consider'.

Subject: Botany

[Published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society]

Endorsed on recto as received 22 December 1898.

Reference number
RR/14/29
Earliest possible date
21 December 1898
Physical description
Letter on paper
Page extent
4 pages
Format
Manuscript

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Citation

Letter from William Turner Thiselton-Dyer, regarding a paper '“Nitragin” and the nodules of leguminous plants' by Maria Dawson, 21 December 1898, RR/14/29, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/rr_14_29/letter-from-william-turner-thiselton-dyer-regarding-a-paper-nitragin-and-the-nodules-of-leguminous-plants-by-maria-dawson, accessed on 17 April 2025

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  • Referee Reports

    This collection contains reports on scientific papers submitted for publication to the Royal Society. Started in 1832 when the system was formalised, it is a record of the origins of peer review publishing in practice.

    Dates: 1832 - 1954

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