25 



can be watched. Another subject of vital importance is tlie growth, 

 development, pi'olificacy, and time of maturity of introduced plants, 

 especially those which are classed as weeds. Observations upon any of 

 these points are valuable and may be useful in finding a remedy for 

 the extermination of noxious species. 



The leaders are pleased to hear that the Council has requested Mr. 

 Fletcher to prepare a new and revised edition of the " Flora Ottavva- 

 ensis," and they believe that it will be a great assistance to those who 

 wish to study the Botany of the district. They would again suggest 

 tho advisability of some of the members of the Club taking up the 

 study of Cryptogamic Botany a wide field as yet barely touched upon 

 by Canadians. Our respected member. Prof. Macoun, has shown what 

 may be done by one man working alone, and during the past season he 

 has added eight more species to our list of mosses, six ot which are 

 new to science and the other two had not before been found in America. 

 He has rendered valuable assistance on several occasions, but the leaders 

 are particularly grateful to him lor his two admirable lectures upon 

 the way to study and collect mosses, lichens and liverworts. The first 

 of these orders has received some attention from our members, but the 

 latter interesting subjects are as yet, we regret to say, almost virgin 

 fields of study. 



Towards the end of October a curious botanical [jhenomenon was 

 observed, many of the vvillows coming into full flower. This 

 was probably due to the excessive drought of the summer by which a 

 season of forced rest was given the plants, and, as will often haj)pen 

 after trees have been defoliated by insects, as soon as i-ain came they 

 burst into blossom. When tlie first snow fell some of the willows 

 were covered with flowers. 



Fine specimens of the parasitic fungi Boassansia occulta, HoQ'm., 

 (Z>. Farlowii, Cornu.) and D. alismcUis, Cornu, were collected on Kettle 

 Islau'l in October. The furmer on Potainoijeton (jramineus, var, 

 maximus, Morong, a new host plant for this parasite. 



JAMES FLETCHER, 

 H. BFAUMONT SM.ALL, .M.D. 

 CKOIICE BAPTTE, 

 March, 1SS8, Leaders, 



