Royal Society. 131 



from the rest of the surface. It is the scar left by the natural 

 fracture of the umbilical cord. Linnaeus gave it the appella- 

 tion of the Hilum, which the term scar translates. 



The number of seeds produced by a single flower is ex- 

 tremely different in different plants. In some plants a flower 

 produces only one seed ; in others two, in others three, and 

 in others many. But the great fertility of some species is 

 altogether astonishing. A single stalk of Zea Mays will pro- 

 duce two thousand seeds*; a single plant of Inula Helenium, 

 three thousand ; and a single spike of Typha major, ten thou- 

 sand. A single plant of Tobacco has been found, by calcula- 

 tion, to produce the almost incredible number of 360,000f ; 

 a single stalk of Spleen-wort has been thought, by estimation, 

 to produce at least a million of seeds. 



Like bulbs, seeds are also extremely tenacious of potential 

 life. If well preserved from the action of the atmosphere, 

 they will retain their vitality for thousands of years. Among 

 the mummies lately unswathed in this country, one was found 

 to grasp in its hand some grains of Egyptian wheat. When 

 put into the soil they germinated, and grew, and sprang up, 

 as if they had been the produce of the year preceding. — 60 

 much for the external structure of perfect plants. 

 [To be continued.] 



XXIII. Proceedings of Learned Societies. 



ROYAL SOCIETY. 



Address of His Royal Highness the President, delivered at the Anni- 

 versary Meetings Nov. 30, 1832. 



Gentlemen, 



X HIS is the Second Anniversary of my election to the Chair of 

 the Royal Society, and I gladly avail myself of the opportunity which 

 it affords me of renewing the expression of my gratitude to you for 

 the distinguished honour conferred upon me in electing me to it, and 

 still more for the continued kindness and support which I have re- 

 ceived from you in the execution of the duties of my office. I can 

 only assure you, Gentlemen, that if it be your pleasure that I should 

 continue to fill this Chair, I shall feel an additional motive to induce 

 me to devote my most earnest attention to the promotion of the in- 

 terests of the Society, in the perfect reliance which I place upon 

 your cooperation and assistance, and in the confident expectation 

 which I entertain, that in case I should fail in the due and efficient 

 discharge of any of my duties, I shall experience from you the most 

 kind and liberal interpretation of my motives and conduct. 



In making my acknowledgments to the Fellows of the Society at 



* Linn. Phil. Bot., sect. 132. f Hist. Plant. Rail, lib. i. cap. xii. 



S2 



