Pennsylvania for Sessions igoi-igo^. Ixxi 



quality and carefully selected nature of the specimens, which 

 usually included flowers and fruiting branches with date 

 when each was gathered. 



Dr. Macfarlane drew attention to numerous volumes 

 recently received for the Library, and to an exhibit of living 

 plants from the University greenhouses. 



March 6. Dr. Miller, President, in the chair. Dr. R. H. 

 True, Washington, spoke on "The Manufacture of Tea in 

 the United States." He said that the long-leaved pine 

 region in which Dr. Shepherd started his experimental gar- 

 den about twelve years ago, near Summerville, S. C, often 

 afforded the shade that seemed helpful to the tea shrub. 

 The best growths had been obtained, not on sloping banks 

 as in America and China, but on the flat areas resulting from 

 drainage of the small ponds. Tea seeds were imported from 

 China, Japan, Indo China and Assam. The best type at 

 present is a cross between an Assam and Indo-Chinese 

 parentage. In conveyance of those seeds, the Red Sea 

 seemed always to be a critical and trying place from the 

 intense heats. By the third year plants had developed suf- 

 ficiently to permit of first picking, and from that time on the 

 shrubs showed vigorous growth. 



He then described the successive processes through which 

 green and black teas pass till they are finally prepared. As 

 regards the financial success of the undertaking, great hopes 

 are entertained that the supplying of high-grade teas for 

 home consumption will prove a good undertaking. The 

 government, Dr. True said, had secured an area of land in 

 Texas where conditions were probably more favorable than 

 in South Carolina, and already plants were started on this 

 spot. 



Dr. Conard next gave a lantern demonstration of methods 

 for illustrating details of plant tissues. By use of the micro- 

 lantern an image of a small object could be projected on the 

 screen and sensitized paper applied there, so as to secure the 

 impression. If a velox or similar paper were used, this 



