NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. XIU 



Mr. R. Turner read a paper on the "The Green Colour of 

 Plants," which he illustrated with a diagram representing the 

 ■distribution of chlorophyll in the leaf-cells of different plants, 

 ^nd with preparations showing the composition of the green 

 <5olouring matter. 



27th November, 1883. 



Mr. Peter Cameron, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



The following were elected Ordinary Members, viz. : Messrs. 

 •Charles Elder, 212 St. Vincent Street ; James Brownlie, Victoria 

 Saw-mills, Port-Dundas ; Thomas G. Bishop, Craven House, 

 Windmill Road, Hamilton ; John H. Ferguson, 22 Arlington 

 "Street ; James B. Paul, 96 Buchanan Street ; Frank Coulson, 

 Greenhead Brewery ; and Robert Broom, 88 North Hanover 

 Street. 



The Chairman intimated that the vacancies which had 

 •occurred in the Council since the Annual General Meeting had 

 now been filled up as follows : President, James Stirton, M.D., 

 F.R.C.S.Ed., F.L.S. ; Vice-Presidents, Rev. A. S. Wilson, M.A., 

 B.Sc, and Henry E. Clark, M.R.C.S. ; Treasurer, M. C. Duff; 

 Members of Council, James Dairon, F.G.S., John Robertson, 

 -and James Steel. 



Mr. R. Turner exhibited Flowers and l^ods of Sea-Island 

 Cotton, Gosfiyx)iuni harhadense, from the United States. In the 

 course of some remarks on these specimens he stnted that four 

 species of the Cotton-plant were recognised l)y botanists. The 

 first, G. arhorciun, of India, was cultivated in groves around 

 the Hindu temples, and afforded the Brahmins the material for 

 the manufacture of their "holy thread." This was probably the 

 earliest use to which cotton had been applied by the Indians. 

 Herodotus described them as making cloth from a wool which 

 grew on trees, and from his description it would appear that 

 the manufacture of cotton was at that time unknown to the 

 Egyptians. The second species, G. herbaceum, which is now 

 principally used in manufacture, is grown extensively through- 

 out the East, having of late years been introduced into India 

 and Egypt. The third species, Brazil cotton, G. peruviamun, 

 differs in having its seeds joined together inside the floss. It 

 is almost equal in value to the Sea-Island cotton, and brings 

 a high price in the market. While the Sea-Island cotton 

 grows best near the sea coast, the Brazil cotton is more pro- 

 ductive in inland districts. The fourth species, Sea-Island 

 cotton, G. harhadense, was introduced into the United States 

 from the Bahama Islands. It was first grown in Georgia, and 

 attempts were afterwards made to cultivate it in the uplands, 



