10 TRANSACTIONS, NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 
For several years subsequent to 1881, when his paper on “ The 
Cultivation of the Potato in its Native Country” was read to the 
Society, his attention was directed to the subject of the potato- 
disease. As the disease is unknown in Chile, he considered it 
probable that tubers imported from that country might possess a 
power of resisting the attacks of the fungus. Supplies were 
accordingly obtained, and distributed for experimental culture in 
various parts of England and Scotland. But the results of these 
experiments, which were embodied in three papers submitted to 
the Society, established the fact that imported tubers become at 
length affected with the disease when grown in this country. 
The excursions in connection with his own classes interfered 
with his regular attendance at the excursions of the Society, but 
he was present at these whenever free from other engagements. 
No other botanist in our Society had so extensive an acquaint- 
ance with the local flora, and the excursions for fungi and alge 
were generally placed under his leadership. His scrupulous 
aecuracy, and habitual caution in determining species, have im- 
parted to the stores of information which he has been instru- 
mental in recording in the Proceedings of the Society a value 
which they would not otherwise have possessed. 
In 1879 it was decided that in the autumn of the following 
year the Cryptogamic Society of Scotland should hold its 
annual conference in our city, under the presidentship of 
Dr. James Stirton, F.L.S., Glasgow. This Society had 
been established in 1874 to promote research in Scottish 
Cryptogamic Botany, and the attention of its members had 
been chiefly devoted to mycology. It was suggested that a 
local committee should be appointed to make arrangements for 
the conference, and also to arrange for an exhibition of fungi and 
other cryptogamic plants. The suggestion was brought under 
the notice of the Council of our Society by Dr. Stirton, and a com- 
mittee was afterwards appointed, with Mr. King as its convener. 
This had the effect of inducing him to direct his attention more 
especially to mycology, which ever afterwards remained his 
favourite department of botanical research. With the view of 
awakening the interest of our Society in this subject, three papers 
on “ Fungi,” illustrated with drawings, specimens, and microscopic 
preparations, were read by him at meetings held during 1880. 

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