xlvi PROCEEDINGS. 



From Messrs. Henderson, of Pine Apple Place, came a small 

 example of Elreocarpus dentatus, covered with little white, 

 toothed, bell-shaped flowers, two Acacias, Eriostemon linearifolium, 

 Boronia tetrandra, small plants of Grevillea lavandulacea, Daviesia 

 puiigens, and Gastrolobium Drummondi. 



Of Camellias J. Allnutt, Esq., F.H.S., of Clapham Common, 

 sent two blooms, OTie white and the other red; both from the 

 same tree, which had been in cultivation many years, but had 

 never been known to sport in a similar manner before. It was 

 remarked that this circumstance was a good illustration of the 

 way in which many of the existing varieties, not only of Camellias, 

 but also of other flowers and fruits, have from time to time been 

 obtained ; and Coe's Golden Drop Plum, which was stated to 

 have sported in a similar way from the Magnum Boiuim, was 

 adduced in confirmation of the statement. 



A dish of Keen's Seedling Strawberries was shown by Mr. 

 Brown, Gardener to F. Parnell, Esq., of Waltham Abbey, Essex. 



Dr. Royle drew the attention of the meeting to specimens of 

 paper, rope, cordage, and other substances prepared from the 

 Plantain (Musa paradisiaca). He also entered into highly 

 interesting details concerning the amount of produce obtainable 

 from an acre of Plantain ground, independently of the fruit, for 

 which alone the plant is now cultivated in the greater part of 

 the tropics. The paper, although for the most part unbleached, 

 and not prepared with European skill, was of the best quality as 

 regarded strength and fineness. Some of it was of a delicate cream 

 colour. The threads of the Musa textilis constituted, he observed, 

 the invaluable Manilla hemp. After going into numerous 

 statements upon these irajiortant points, he directed attention to 

 a living plant of the Boehmeria nivea, Chou-ma, or China Grass, 

 also called occasionally, though erroneously, Manilla hemp. 

 Specimens of the raw material and of exquisite manufactures 

 prepared by the Chinese from this plant were laid upon the table ; 

 the excessive strength of its fibres was pointed out, and it was 

 shown that the Indian province of Assam was capable of alone 

 supplying an unlimited quantity of the material. 



The Vice- Secretary produced a specimen of the China Grass 

 plant from Shanghae, and remarked that since it was capable 

 of enduring the climate of so cold a part of China it might be 

 reasonably expected to succeed as a field crop in the west and 

 south of Ireland. It had this advantage over common hemp, 



