1 46 Transactions. 



Another characteristic is the tendency of the flowers to become 

 a white or pale colour, and often of very large size, while they 

 are usually few in number. The pale colour is, of course, due to 

 the absence of strong sunlight, and is again an instance of the 

 peculiar way in which Nature works, for this colour is most 

 conspicuous in the dimness, and is the best the plant could 

 possibly choose. The same may be said of the large size. It is 

 certainly true that many trees have small inconspicuous flowers, 

 but these are fertilised by the small sorts of insects that thrive 

 everywhere, and are unaffected by climate. I mean that some 

 members at least are found everywhere. There is, however, an 

 absence of the brilliant colours and dense spikes which are found 

 in dry, sunny places, where bees, hymenoptera of all kinds, and 

 hoverflies are found. These latter insects are remarkably absent 

 in this forest, probably because the chill, moist atmosphere is bad 

 for their wings. The most extraordinary feature of all is that in 

 so many respects Nature by climate produces exactly that form 

 best suited to thrive in that particular climate, and in almost all 

 cases we cannot trace any connection between the two. I mean 

 the fact that a dim, humid climate produces a drawn out stem, 

 has no connection (visible) with the fact that a climbing plant 

 is well fitted to thrive in such a place. 



2. Food Plants — The Cereals. 



By Mr Peter Ctray. 



The principal grasses cultivated as bread plants by the more 

 bivilized races of mankind are four in number — wheat, barley, 

 rye, and oats. Of these the wheat plant, Trilicum sativum, is 

 the most important. There are three species, or more properly 

 perhaps sub-species, of Triticum grown in Europe — Triticum 

 sativum, turgidum, and durum. The flrst includes nearly all the 

 cultivated varieties grown in this country, over a hundred red and 

 about half that number of white wheats, so named from the 

 colour of the grain. The turgid wheats have a bearded spike, 

 but being best adapted for earlier climates, they have not been 

 much cultivated in Britain. The ears of the third division are 

 also bearded, and usually very short in proportion to their 

 breadth, with a remarkably hard grain. They are grown chiefly 



