462 Linncean Society. 



remaining three from that of wheat), three of the barley and four of 

 the wheat. Of the rye scarcely a single ear produced healthy grains, 

 the palese being generally quite empty ; but nine of the ears contained 

 ergots, some furnishing only a single specimen, and others as many 

 as six. The ears of the barley were filled with healthy grains, and 

 only one apparently diseased grain was detected ; while in the wheat 

 the ears were full and without disease. 



As in these experiments no grains from the same sample were 

 sown which had not been subjected to the influence of the sporidia 

 of the fungus, Mr. Quekett made in the following autumn another 

 experiment with the view of supplying this deficiency. Twelve 

 grains of rye, of wheat and of barley were again made to germinate 

 under similar circumstances to the last, and the sporidia obtained 

 from the surface of one of the ergots of rye produced in the first ex- 

 periment were diffused in the water in which they grew. These were 

 planted in October on the same estate, but not within half a mile of 

 the former spot ; and twelve healthy grains of each kind which had 

 been carefully kept apart from the others were planted in the same 

 locality. Very few of the plants arrived at maturity, and in August 

 last there remained of the infected plants only two of rye, two of 

 wheat, and one of barley ; and of the uninfected plants one of each 

 kind. On each of the plants of rye which had been subjected to the 

 influence of the sporidia an ergot was discovered, and the ears as be- 

 fore were almost entirely devoid of healthy grains ; while the plants 

 of wheat and barley subjected to the same influence produced perfect 

 ears and healthy grains. The three plants of rye, wheat and barley 

 planted at the same time without exposure to the sporidia of the 

 fungus presented no unhealthy appearance. 



Mr. Quekett argues that all the grains of rye subjected during 

 germination to the influence of the sporidia of the fungus in both 

 sets of experiments having produced plants infected with ergot, 

 while the plants derived from grains not so subjected escaped disease, 

 a convincing proof is afforded that their infection could not have been 

 the effect of chance, but must have resulted from the artificial intro- 

 duction of the sporidia ; and that the infection of the rye only, while 

 the wheat and barley escaped, is to be attributed to the greater sus- 

 ceptibility of the rye to infection, as proved by the much greater fre- 

 quency of the production of ergots in that species of grain. 



January 17, 1843.— E. Forster, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



William Taylor, Esq., F.L.S., presented specimens of the seeds, 

 oil, and oil-cake of Camelina sativa, Crantz, accompanied by some 

 observations strongly recommending its cultivation in preference to 

 that of flax for the production of oil. 



February 7. — E. Forster, Esq., V.P., in the Chair. 



The Rev. William Hincks, F.L.S., exhibited a specimen believed 

 to belong to Neottia gemmipara, Smith. The specimen, which was 

 from the collection of Dr. Wood of Cork, was obtained by him from 



