xxxvi Proceedmgs of the Botanical Society. 



Professor O. P. Phillips communicated " Notes on the 

 Botany of California, with Special Reference to the Mam- 

 moth Trees." He graphically described the location of each 

 of the mammoth trees groves, and spoke of some of the better 

 known specimens in each. In comparing Sequoia gigajitea 

 with the allied species 6". sciiipervircns he inclined to consider 

 that the latter may have attained to a greater age than did the 

 mammoth tree. 



Mrs. S. T. Rorer exhibited a collection of fungi, and the 

 Director of the University garden a variety of plants from it. 



December 21. — Dr. Miller, President, in the chair. Dr. 

 Macfarlane being absent in Florida, Miss E. O. Abbot, Corre- 

 sponding Secretary, acted as Recording Secretary pro tem. 



Dr. Harshberger read a paper entitled " Observations on 

 the Limits of Variation in Plants." Selecting leaves and fruits 

 of various plants, he pointed out within what limits these 

 varied as to size and shape. 



Miss Harriet Boewig then presented " A Review of Some 

 Recent Papers on Irritability," in which she compared the 

 older views held by Sachs, Pfeffer and Czapek with those pro- 

 pounded by Noll, Haberlandt, and Nemec on the geotropic 

 sensitivity of roots The paper was discussed by Drs. Harsh- 

 berger and Miller. 



Mr. H. S. Conard drew attention to a flowering specimen 

 of Casuarina tcnuissitna, from the University garden, to fruits 

 of C. cquisctifolia presented by Mrs. E. J. Bartol, and to a 

 plant of Salvia invohicrata, which he recommended for green- 

 house cultivation. 



