PIIOCEEUIKGS of TllK 



1 rof K K. Gates then introduced his paper on "The Inheri- 

 tance of Flower Size in Plants." He stated that reciprocal crosses 

 were made at Mertou in 19lL^ between (Enothera rubricalyx and 

 it. bienms, the former having petals a!)out 40 mm. in length and 

 the latter about 2(t mm. in length. The si/,e of flowers in F was 

 intermediate and relatively uniform. In F^ there xvas a marked 

 difference in size of flowers, (1) on different plants, (2) in different 

 tlc.wers of the same plant, and (Ji) sometimes even in the different 

 petals of a flower. More extensive measurements were made on 

 ± and V^ plants. The results show that the hvpothesis of several 

 Mendehan factors for length of petal is an insuflicient explanation. 

 Variation curves show a tendency to segregation in flower-size 

 between difterent plants, but also a tendency for the occurrence of 

 smaller flowers, some of the smallest petals being only 7 mm. in 

 length. The disorderly nature of the variation, and the fact that 

 the petals of one flower may be of different lengths, shows that 

 this segregation is not confined to cell-formation, and is not 

 Mendehan. Probably cytoplasmic differences are involved in this 

 type of inheritance and variation. 



The communication was followed by a lantern-demonstration 

 and a discussion, in which Lt.-Col. J. H. TuU Walsh and Dr. A 

 B. Keudle took part, the author replying. 



Capt, J. Kamsbottom exhibited a couple of the brilliant golden 

 beetles, Aspidomorpha sanctce-crucis, from Bombay Harbour. 



Mr. William Dallimoee, of the Eoyal Botanic Gardens Kew 

 then introduced the subject of the effect produced by wind at 

 Llandudno m causing remarkable dwarfing of trees and shrubs 

 growing on the exposed rocks of the Great Orme's Head, illus- 

 trating his remarks by actual specimens and lantern-slides. ' 



A discussion followed, in which the President, Mr. Gerald W 

 E. Loder, and Mr. Lacaita took part, the author replying. 



Mr. J. L. NoETH, of the Eoyal Botanic Gardens, Eegent's Park 

 then spoke of the possible successful growth of Ghjdne Soja, 

 bieb. & Zucc, as a profitable crop in this countrv He said •— 

 The plants I have upon the table are English-grown specimens of 

 the boya bean, from a plot at Chiswick in 1921. They are far 

 finer than anything I have seen or groMn. Apart from its 

 cultural and commercial importance, the plant has certain 

 characteristics which are the results of Chinese methods of 

 cultivation, and these I should like to point out. One is the 

 peculiar flattening of the branches, the result of close sowing— 

 a method to which the plant has become so accustomed that even 

 when grown wide apart it still retains the habit. Another 

 peculiarity is the fact that if it starts at a wrong angle it twists 

 itself upon its base to bring it into line with the others ; this is 

 well illustrated in some of the plants. 



loJo^^^^ ^^®" experimenting with this variety of Soya since 

 191.3, when 1 obtained a few seeds of a so-called German 



