42 



time an object of great interest in the garden of the Horti- 

 cultural Society, where hundreds of persons have visited it 

 and admired its piles of lilac-coloured fragrant flowers. The 

 following little calculation will serve to shew how wonderful 

 is the evidence afforded by this single specimen of the creative 

 power of Nature. 



The number of branches was about 9000, and of flowers 

 675,000. Each flower consisting of 5 petals, the number of 

 those parts was 3,37-5,000. Each flower contained 10 stamens, 

 or the whole mass of flowers 6,750,000. Each ovary con- 

 tained about 7 ovules, so that preparation was made for the 

 production of 4,050,000 seeds, for the purpose of fertilizing 

 which the anthers, if perfect, would have contained about 

 27,000,000,000 pollen grains. Had all the petals been placed 

 end to end they would have extended to the distance of more 

 than tinrty-four miles. 



Physiological Works of the late Thomas Andrew Knight, Esq. 



It will be satisfactory to those occupied in physiological 

 researches to learn, that there is in preparation for imme- 

 diate publication a selection from the papers and correspon- 

 dence of the late Mr. Knight. That these materials are in very 

 good hands I have no doubt; but I must beg to contradict, 

 as wholly destitute of foundation, the statement made in some 

 of the newspapers that they are confided to my care. 



75. CORYANTHES speciosa; var. alba. 



A pale, indeed almost white, variety of this extraordinary 

 plant has lately flowered in the collection of Thomas Brockle- 

 hurst, Esq. of the Fence, near Macclesfield, who obtained it 

 from Demerara. Mr. Appleby, the gardener at the Fence, 

 informs me that the pseudo-bulbs are four in number, five 

 inches long, tapering from the root to the insertion of the 

 leaf, and deeply furrowed ; the leaves are sixteen inches 

 long, of a very long oval shape in the widest part, which is 

 near the middle, one inch and three-quarters wide, deeply 

 ribbed, and of a light green colour. The flower-stalk is one 

 foot to the first flower and four inches beyond it, bearing four 

 flowers. He thinks it probable that the flowers will be more 

 numerous and larger as the plant becomes stronger. The 



