204 



Mr. Davies inquired whether, in the cases referred to by Mr. Edmunds, the 

 seeds might not have been washed into crevires of the ground by rains, and there 

 buried ? 



Mr. Edmunds thought it very probable. 



The Hon. Secretary observed that where there was water there was air also, 

 so that the vitality of the seeds might be thus exhausted while buried. 



Dr. Gilliland remarked that light was also necessary before plants could grow. 



After some further remarks the company separated. 



During the day the members present were : Mr. C. Lingen, President ; Mr. 

 Suter, Hon. Secretary ; Rev. J. H. Barker, Mr. DeBoinville, Dr. Bull, Mr. Cam, 

 Mr. Edmunds, Dr. Gilliland, Dr. Steele, Mr. Thompson. The visitors present 

 were : Mr. Ratcliffe, Rev. — Bulmer, Mr. T. T. Davies, Mr. J ames Davies, Mr. 

 Akerman, Mr. Cunningham. 



The botanists of the party made no important " finds " in the course of 

 the day, but specimens of a curious planlago, supposed to be a dwarf state of 

 P. media ; of a Campanula, apparently midway between C. rapunculoides and 

 C. Trachelium ; of the beautiful C. patula ; and of a dwarf state of Lepidium 

 Smithii, rewarded the zeal of some of the party. The dwarfed state of the 

 herbage generally on the north side of Shucknall Hill was observed as being 

 somewhat more marked than usual. 



BURIED SEEDS. 



To the Editor of the " Hereford Times." 



Sir, — In the report of the proceedings of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field 

 Club, which appeared in your last number, I observed a second notice of what 

 has not been inaptly called the ventose theory, to account for the general dis- 

 tribution of plants, or that which is the same thing, being a consequence thereof, 

 the appearance upon newly-excavated soils of plants specifically, and, it may be, 

 also generically, distinct from those to be found in the surrounding district. It 

 was a matter of considerable surprise to me to find that a botanist of reputation, 

 like Mr. E. Lees of Worcester, should be a supporter of so airy an hypothesis, 

 which, if duly examined, would be found scarcely more rational than that hypo- 

 thesis designated funicular, by which a section of the " schoolmen," before the 

 nature and properties of the air were ascertained, or the science of aro-dynamics 

 even dreamed of, sought to account for the ascent of light bodies through the 

 aerial medium, deeming it to be effected through the agenc> of invisible threads. 

 That the seeds of many plants belonging to the Composita; are widely distributed 

 by the agency of the wind is indisputable ; and that the pappose appendages with 

 which they are furnished is a provision of nature for such purpose, appears highly 

 probable ; but the partial distribution of the more ponderous seeds through 



