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ten or twelve plants from this covered soil, all of which, save one (the universal 

 Trifolium repens, or Dutch clover) were fresh to the district. 



Dr. Steele of Abergavenny (who had been unable to stay to the dinner owing 

 to a prior engagement) had told him of a case in which the bringing of soU to the 

 surface had issued in the appearance of a species of Veronica which had not been 

 previously seen anywhere in the neighbourhood. 



He (Mr. Edmunds) had himself seen Linum iisitatissimum, or common flax, 

 growing between the pavement stones of a yard in Hereford, although upon 

 enquiry he could not find that, for 20 years at least, the plant had ever been grown 

 there. Many years ago, however, some earth had been brought thither from a 

 distance, and it might be that the seeds had been then brought and buried, but 

 had not germinated untU the decay of the mortar suffered atmospheric influences 

 to reach them. 



He also alluded to the fact stated by their late respected President, the Rev. 

 James Crouch, as to the sudden appearance of Hyoscyamus niger, common 

 Henbane, after the opening of a deep drain in his own lawn. 



All these facts were quite clear upon the hjrpothesis that the seeds were buried, 

 but were unintelligible to the wind theory. (Applause). 



An animated conversation ensued, in which the President, the Hon. Secretary 

 Dr. GUlUand, Dr. BuU, Rev. Mr. Bulmer, Mr. T. T. Davies, Mr. Akerman, am 

 other gentlemen took part. 



The President thought the facts stated, with the exception of the flax case, 

 very strong proofs in support of Mr. Edmunds' theory. The flax seed might have 

 been dropped from the cage of some canary kept in the adjoining house. 



Dr. Bull took a similar view of the facts. He thought that they quite 



• demolished Mr. Lees' theory. It was remarkable that these appearances of fresh 



plants were all under circumstances which agreed with Mr. Edmunds' explanation. 



Mr. Akerman had thought that the suspension of vitality in seeds was 

 admitted on all hands. He alluded to the case of the mummy wheat. Dr. Bull 

 remarked that some eminent botanists had expressed their entire disbelief in the 

 story of the wheat having been found in the mummies. 



The Hon. Secretary thought there was not much dependence to be placed on 

 the statements of the Arabs ; they would find plenty of mummy wheat when 

 they discovered that there was a demand for it. 



Dr. GUliland had read some very circumstantial accounts of the finding of 

 the mummy wheat, its committal to the ground, &c. 



Dr. Bull agreed that there was little dependence to be placed upon eithei 

 the Arabs or upon the tradesmen's annoimcements that they had mummy wheat 

 for sale, but he could not wholly reject the accounts which he had read. 



