•4^2 



\rotmKkti 01? ireimcmitTjfta'AiJi) eot*A(jfl GrMa>bN^R. 



[0^006 19,1668. 



wh<^n well stirred np jnst to damp ovory seed. I then, on tlie 

 flat end of a small label, ndd to iin ounce of seed about half 

 a small teaspoonful of the red lead, -n-hich when stirred up is 

 found to give a good coating to even;- seed. I then, to cause 

 the seed to leave the hand readily, stix thi-ou^h it a little dry 

 eand or eartl). 



I iind that by adoptinfi this means birds never give me the 

 least trouble, neither does the lead iu the least degree impair 

 the vitality of the seed. Peas also. 1 believe, if properly coated 

 will be ([uite safe from mice, and, I would be inclined to think, 

 from pheasants also. Should any ouc bo induced to ^ive the 

 plan a trial perhaps he will report the result in this Journal.— 

 Allan Goodman, the Palace Gardens, Londondeinj . 



LIST OF THE PAPERS AND SUBJECTS 

 PRESENTED TO THE BOTANICxVL CONGP^ESS. 



[Continued from jxtijc 438.) 

 Professor E. Mouiien, Li^ge : 



1. On the influence of coal gas on vegetation. 



2. On double flowers. 



Dr. Feiii>. Mukij.f.r, Melbourne : On the cultivation of the 



Cinchona in the South of Europe. 



Tlio cultnrc of thu Ciuthoims iu tliu Madras Presidency, according 

 to authentic calculations, holds out most startling prospects of re- 

 munerative yield ; and there can be no doubt that Peruvian Barli-tree 

 plautiitions will \iv> among the most luciativo in any locality wlieie 

 these plants will prosper. The facts thus beyoml dispnte ascertained 

 iu IniUa lead to tJie reflection how far Cinchona culture can be ex- 

 tended over tho f^lobe. From trials instituted in the Botanic Garden 

 of Melbourne it is apparent that for the cultivation of Cinchonas no 

 absolute necessity exists for the rarity of air of those moantain re,^on3 

 of the Andes, the prcSper borne of these trees. On tlie contrary, it 

 would seem that merely a mild warm temperate atmosphere, combined 

 with humiihty and shelter, is required for Peruvian Bark plants ; and 

 as in the Cinchona plantations of India extra-tropical Australian and 

 Mediterranean plants do prosper, the question arises whether their 

 cultivation could not be pursued to advantat;e in moist valleys on the 

 Mediterranean shores, and in any other isothermal zone. In Victoria 

 arran;:;ements are made to try the growth of these plants in the exten- 

 sive Fern-tree fnillies which abound. For these experiments more 

 extended facilities now exist since Cinchonas have commenced to ripen 

 their seeds in India, and since the generosity of the Indian authorities 

 has rendered some already nviiilable here. 



Fnder any circumstances it appears desirable that in South Europe 

 and elsewhere expt-rimcnts should ti-iich Ut; as h<r.v far these plants 

 adapt themselves to the somewhat altered intiuenccs which they will 

 experience. 



Professor Parlatore, Florence : On the species of Cotton. 

 -Professor Ptsaebt, Ghent : On the niutliods of obtaiuiug new 



varietiea of fruit trees, and on raising improved varieties 



from seed. 



Professor Reicuenbach, Hamburg : On some points connected 



^ith Orchide^e. 

 Mr. EivERK, Sawbridgeworth : 



1. On the culture of fruit in unhcated glass structures. 



A brief histor}' of orchard-houses, and the latent imjjrovemonts in 

 their construction and veutiliitiou. A short account of the kinds of 

 trees to plant in thein. A new method of forminf» the borders for the 

 reception of the trees. An improved mode of cultivating Apricots under 

 glass, 80 that crops are insured. The culture of Che^Ties iu orchard- 

 houses, and the stocks proper for them, is entered into. The cultiva- 

 tion of the finer kinds of American Apples in orchard-housssis recom- 

 mended, and that of Pears and Plums slightly touched on. 



2. On dessert Orange culture in England. 



This paper describes the perfect success of the culture of Oranges 

 for some seasons past. The method by which they are made to ripen 

 th^r fmit pei-fectiy in about oifjht months, so that ripe Orangi's may 

 be placed on the table immediately after the late liiuds of Peaches or 

 Kectarines. The most ehgible kinds of Oranges for English culture 

 are named. The outlines of their management, and thfe proper tfenl- 

 perature of the dessert Orangedjongc are given. 



3. On raising Peaches, Nectarines, and other fruiW from 

 seeds. 



Professor Schultz ScHULTZEySTKiN^ Berlin : On the presence 

 and source of nitrogen in turf or peat, with reference to its 

 use as ft manure for plants. 



The author in this paper controvt'rtfl th^ opinion of most chemistg — 

 thatplants derive the carbon and nitrogen which theycontain from the air 

 and tiot from the soil, "Practical experience contradicts thistheof}'." 

 Thp author proposes to use tnrf as a manure, from the qunnfity of 

 "iaitTogen that it contains, and which obviaies the necessity of Usitig 

 itiimal mauure. The fiitrogOTi of thfetfcrf originates from thftretnaina 



of antmnl life-in it, soch nn infusoria, ironns. mollnsoa, A:e. Torf 

 does nut decompose Bo (quickly as animal manure, hut it ifl cm that 

 accunat the more «fbcacious. The anthor baa not found any adraQ' 

 ta^o in adding' bono dut^t (phofl{ihnto of lime) to the turf, which, iudeed, 

 contains a sotHcicut quantity of that bubstancc. 



Mr. W. G. Smith, London ; The Corona of Karcissns. 



Basing his argument upon analogous stmciures iu other plants, Mr. 

 Smith considers the corona of Narcissus to bo made np of a series of 

 continent petalstipulea, leaving tho normal six stamens oud six petals 

 as iu the rest of the Amanllidacea*. 



Signor Thiaka, Kew : On the mannscripts and beautiful draw- 

 ings mado under the direction of Mutis in his botanical 

 exj^edition to New Grenada, and which are prosorved at 

 Madiid. 



Si;:^or Triana desires to draw attention to the existence at Madrid 

 of a most interestins <-ollection of manuscripts and dniwinps made by 

 Mutis and preserved at Madrid, where they have practically been for- 

 gotten for many year'^. Aiuoiitj them are figures of species of Cin- 

 chona, <i'c. It is greatly to be hoped that the Spanitth authorities will 

 at least carefully preserve these valuable documents, and render them 

 easily accossiblo to botanists. 



Mr. PiOUERT Wab-ner, Broomfield, Chelmsford : On cool vinery 



Orchids. 



M. HinoiANs Wendland, Herrenliausen : Note on the culture 



of Palms. 



The author, in this paper, insists upon the paramount necessity of 

 supplying Palms with an abundant supply of water. 



Mr. Tuffex Wk ST, London : On the structure of the testa of 



the seed of Solanacejp. 



Details a series of microscopical observations on the outer covering 

 of seeds. Mr. West describes the pecnliarity in the ctdl structure of 

 the testa in different genera, and shows that snch structures afford 

 constant characters. A peculiar structure is present in the testa of 

 many Solanai-cji'. It is u form of barred tissue, constituting a support 

 to the later.il walls of the cells ; in which portion of the cells the 

 primitive membrane is found in mature seeds to have disappeared 

 more or less completely. The inner walls are greatly thick* ned by 

 horny and even cnistnceoup deposit ; in addition to their lusnally) very 

 sinuous outline, the edges of the inner walls are also elon^^ated by un- 

 dulation ; from these edges processes arise which form a fringe bavhig 

 the appearance of hairs. Uy examination of numerons examples titis 

 structure proves to be a form of barred tissue, which, byrnrioas inter- 

 mediate conditions, passes in S. indicum and S. jasminoides into a 

 reticulate tissue. The author is very desirous to procure seeds for 

 microscopic examination, the results hitherio obtained promising to 

 possess interest and value iu proportion to the extent to which they 

 are systematically carried out. 



Dr. Wight, loading : On the phenomena of vegetation in the 



Indian spring. 



Dr. WiRht ottered a suggestion towards explaining the diflicalty in 

 accounting for the sprouting of trees during iho hottt-st and driest 

 months of the year, at a time when the heat and drought would seem 

 enough to wither np vegetation. It is a phenomenon often observed, 

 and always with wonder, but one which may. ho thinks, be accounted 

 for on the same principles as the swelling of the buds and renewal of 

 spriup ves;etation iu hic^her latitudes — nnmely, by change of tempera- 

 ture stimulating the liow of sap rendered sluggish by prerious cold. In 

 the hiyh latitudes, where the cold is often intense, the susceptibility of 

 plants to heat becomes sa acute that the rise of only a few degreiS'O'f 

 temperature above the freezing point sets the circulation iu motion, 

 es})ecially when the soil in which the roots are distributed is still nn- 

 frozen. and permits absoq)lion by the rootlets. Here the aetioQ of 

 tlie roots and stem are simultancuus through the rise of temperature 

 of the air equalising that of the soil iu which the roots are distributed, 

 penuitting freer circulation to take place, and with it a renewal of the 

 operations of vitality and growth. 



Apphnng this principle to tropical vegetation, wo mtwt bear in mind 

 that, owing to the hii»b range of temperature iu which the planta 

 habituallv grow, their susceptibility to variations of temperature is at 

 the minimum, so tlmt it is not until a considerable rise has taken 

 phieo that the effect becomes obvious. Again, as in the other case, 

 synchronous action between the stem and roots is necessary. " The 

 botte<it and driest month of the year " is preceded by the wettest and 

 coldest, during' which the soil is iirst saturated with moisture and then 

 cooled Ijy subsequent evaporation to a temperature lonsidcrably below 

 that of the air. Then it is that vegetation in arboreous doep-rooting 

 trees flats imtil renewed by the heat of the advancing season restoring 

 the equibhrinm between the roots and branches. Then indeed tropicifl 

 vegetation in all its olorioufl perfeetiou is seen. These are the cireiim- 

 stauces in which a Bamboo shoot can almost bo seen to prow, and its 

 profjn-ss marked from hour to hoar at the rate of nearly a foot a-day, 

 or even more tbim that. 



This principle of syuchronism between the above and below-gronnd 

 portions of nrlwrescent plants, carefully apjilied, will, the writPr appre- 

 hends, bt) found applicable to tlte explanation of several apparent 

 anomalies prefieiiled hf the renewal of' v^etation after the onnaal 



