114 Proceedings of the Botanical Societj of 



colonies, which fed on the Httle white cellular tips of the 

 leaflets. 



Dcceinbcr j. Mr. Walmsley occupied the chair, and called 

 on Dr. Adolph Miller, who gave an interesting lecture on 

 sacred trees and plants. He compared the views held by the 

 Hindoos and the germanic nations, regarding many well- 

 known plant species. 



Dr. S. C. Schmucker spoke on " Fungi Observed during the 

 Season of 1897." He stated that the nutritive value ot the 

 esculent fungi had been greatly overrated and that an analysis 

 of one species gave water 92.5 per cent, solids 7.48 per cent, 

 of which 0.47 was ash. A fine series of drawings in water 

 color by Mrs. Schmucker was used to illustrate the paper. 



Specimens of several rare orchids were exhibited from the 

 collection of Mrs. George B. Wilson. Mrs. Conard, of Sharon 

 Hill, exhibited mellow Japanese Persimmons matured on a tree 

 in her garden, which annually bore a considerable crop of fruit. 

 She also exhibited a variegated form of Podocarpus elougatus, 

 and a collection of orchids. 



December ly. Dr. Adolph Miller occupied the chair. Mr. 

 T. Chalkley Palmer spoke on " The Movements of Diatoms." 

 After discussing the views of Smith, Mueller, Lauterborn and 

 Butschli, the speaker considered the movements to be due to 

 circulation of protoplasm round the frustule. Mr. Charles 

 Boyer then described development and reproduction in the 

 Diatomaceae as observed by him in Eunotia pecfinalis, from 

 the New Jersey swamps. He combatted Miguel's view that 

 continued division results in diminished size of the diatoms. 



Mr. Walmsley gave " Reminiscences of Diatomaceous 

 Workers in Philadelphia." 



January 7, i8g8. Dr. Macfarlane occupied the chair, and 

 called on Dr. Emily Hunt, who spoke on " Our Oak Trees." 

 This was a highly suggestive popular discourse and was illus- 

 trated by a large suite of dried specimens, by living twigs 

 which showed the bud structure, and by lantern slides. 



Dr. Harshberger described " Fungus Diseases of the Oaks," 



