200 



no appointment at the present time could be more appropriate or 

 just. My dear sir, I hope the great Disposer of events, whose 

 minute works you have done so much to place before our eyes 

 in all their exquisite beauty of form, of workmanship, and of 

 adaptation, will give you yet many years to enjoy the honors you 

 have so honestly acquired, and to add many more discoveries to 

 those you have already secured." 



At the last meeting, no distinct Resolution having 

 been passed touching one of the stipulations accompa- 

 nying the bequest of Prof. Bailey, the following was 

 offered and unanimously adopted. 



Resolved, That the sons of Prof. Bailey have access to the 

 books and specimens bequeathed by him, and be allowed to use 

 them at their own pleasure ; that they also have the same use of 

 the library and cabinet of the Society as members ; and, that in 

 consideration of his priceless contributions, their names be placed 

 on the list of Patrons. 



Dr. A. A. Hayes read a paper upon the kind of sugar 

 developed in the Sorghum saccharatum, or Chinese 

 Sugar-Cane, as follows : — 



The introduction of this interesting plant has led to many 

 somewhat extravagant suggestions, in relation to its future bear- 

 ing on the agriculture and commerce of our country, particularly 

 in relation to its produce of sugar. I have therefore deemed 

 it a subject worthy of chemical observation and experiments, 

 to determine its claims as a sugar producer ; and have also 

 chosen it to illustrate a uniformity of vegetable secretion, 

 according with well-known natural laws. In order to give 

 scientific precision to the remarks which follow, it is neces- 

 sary that a brief definition of the terra sugar, should be 

 given. So rapidly has chemical science progressed of late, that 

 this well-known terra has now become a generic name for a class 

 of bodies, individually presenting us with the most marked diver- 

 sities of sensible characters and composition. We have sugars 

 which are sweet, others which are slightly sweet, and some desti- 

 tute of sweetness : some are fermentable, others do not undergo 

 this change : some are fluid, more are solid. 



