1904] Meetings of Botanical Branch. 21 



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from the soil at that season when the wood was ripening and also 

 served other useful purposes. 



The stimulating nature ot the lecture was shown at the close 

 by a volley of questions from the members present, and a vote ot 

 thanks was heartily endorsed by the audience. 



D. A. C. 



MEETINGS OF BOTANICAL BRANCH. 



A meeting of the botanical section was held at the home of 

 Prof. Macoun, December loth, 1903. The subject of the evening 

 was " Weeds and the causes that lead to their dispersion." Prof. 

 Macoun introduced the subject by remarking that our weeds were 

 •' Aliens " and not ■' Natives," and remarked that on One occasion 

 while showing an eminent English botanist around the city and its 

 suburbs, the visitor remarked that there was a wonderful similarity 

 between Canadian plants and those of England. He was very 

 much surprised when told that all he saw were aliens and he must 

 go to the woods to see the native plants. 



Prof. Macoun further developed his subject by showing that 

 Canadian plants, native at Ottawa, w^ere necessarily incapable of 

 occupying our roadsides and cultivated fields, and hence in the 

 struggle for existence in the open they had no chance with the 

 immigrants. Num tous illustrations were brought forward in 

 support of this, then seed dispersion was taken up and a warm 

 and interesting discussion took place, which was joined in by 

 nearly all present. Dr. Guillet brought up the subject of " Sheep 

 Burrs," to illustrate the methods adopted by various species to 

 assist in the dispersion of their seed, and other members supported 

 his views by many apt illustrations which showed that most of the 

 members held his opinions. After a very animated discussion, 

 Prof. Macoun, as chairman of the meeting, said that while 

 admitting the ability of burrs and seeds of like nature to be dis- 

 persed by this method, he denied their necessity and disputed their 

 utility. He showed that the sheep burr had not a general dis- 

 tribution, that it was largely a roadside plant, was hardly ever 

 found in fields, and in fact, was verv limited in its distribution. 



