Iv 



March 15, 1880. 



The President in the chair. Nine members present. 

 R. S. Elliott presented a photograph of Augiiste David's por- 

 trait of A. V. Humboldt, Paris, 1814. 

 The evening was devoted to busines.s. 



April 5, 18S0. 



The President in the chair. Fourteen members present. 



Mr. Nipher made some experiments in thermo-electricity, 

 making use of a Thomson galvanometer. 



Dr. Engelmann remarked in regard to the progress of vegeta- 

 tion, that the effect of a warm winter like that which has passed 

 is to make vegetation more forward in spring, even when the 

 spring temperature is below the average. The buds do not 

 appear visibly aflected during the warm weather of the winter, 

 nevertheless they open earlier in spring. 



April 19, 1880. 



The President in the chair. Eight members piesent. 

 Dr. Engelmann made some remarks on the cultivation of the 

 cinchona tree in the British Possessions. 



This tree grows native in the valleys of the Andes. The supplj' from 

 that region is however diminishing, owing to the destruction of the trees. 

 The English government has therefore begun the cultivation of the tree, 

 having first determined bv experiment at the Kew gardens which varieties 

 furnish most quinine. Seedlings of the tree were sent fi-om the Kew gar- 

 dens to the mountains of Ceylon, Jamaica, and India, which furnish the 

 moist and not too warm climate necessary for the growth of the plant. 

 These regions are now furnishing large quantities of the bark, of a better 

 quality even than the South American, and abundant seeds for propaga- 

 tion. 



Mr. Nipher made a few remarks on the tornado of the iSth. 



May 10, 1880. 



The President in the chair. Forty members and visitors 

 present. 



