Pennsylvania for Sessions igoi-igoj. lix 



He then exhibited and shortly commented on flowering 

 plants of Hamanthiis Kalbreyeri, species of Masdevallia, 

 etc., from the greenhouses. 



June 6. Dr. Miller, President, in the chair. The Presi- 

 dent named a temporary chairman and proceeded to speak 

 on "The Flora of Palestine" as noted during recent travel. 

 The difficult landing from the steamer at Jaffa, its beautiful 

 gardens and orange groves and the tall hedges of optunias 

 that line the roadways were described. In the gardens of 

 the monastery Eucalyptus trees were in flower, while fig 

 trees and hyssop were abundant. On the railroad journey 

 to Jerusalem, the plain of Sharon was traversed for about 

 thirty miles, and was covered with a rich, green verdure 

 which contrasted agreeably with the barren hills subsequently 

 reached. While these hills were almost desolate of trees, 

 except for a few stunted olives and figs, there was still a 

 profusion of brilliantly colored flowers springing from the 

 barren soil, amongst these being Anemone coronaria, Crocus 

 Gaillardotii, etc. The immediate vicinity of the Dead Sea 

 was absolutely destitute of vegetation. 



Professor Macfarlane then gave "Notes on the Vegeta- 

 tion of the Swiss Alps as compared with that of the White 

 Mountains." He stated that the most striking feature con- 

 sisted in the brilliancy and large size of blooms from the 

 Alps as compared with the smaller and less conspicuous 

 ones from the White Mountains. He cited the gentians, 

 saxifrages, primroses, violets and orchids from the former 

 region, as compared w'th the ericaceous and cruciferous 

 plants from the latter. The extreme richness in the species 

 of comparatively small areas of the Alps as compared with 

 the more uniform and monotonous vegetation of the latter 

 was another feature. But in interesting problems of plant 

 distribution and environmental modification, the Alps 

 seemed to be less instructive than our own mountains. 



Attention was drawn by the director to various plant 

 exhibits from the Garden. 



