15 



FIELD MEETINGS. 



August ^th, I860. — Oa this occasion the Members proceeded by 

 train to the Hassock's Gate Station on the London and Brighton 

 Railway, and walked thence to Hurstpierpoint and on to Dr. Hol- 

 man's farm at Albourne, where they were kindly invited to dine. 

 During the walk, and just after leaving Hurstpierpoint for Albourne, 

 (Enanthe crocata, Epilohium hirsutum and Scrophularia aquatica 

 were observed on the side of a small stream or ditch, in unusually 

 fine condition ; and a little further on, in the same stream, Lemna 

 miliar was observed in flower ; also Ranunculus sceleratus of unusually 

 large size. StiU further on in the lane a species of Mentha was 

 met with which appeared to be M. piperita ; and in a corn-field near 

 at hand were noticed a great number of the usual annual corn weeds, 

 and especially a large quantity of Rhaphanus Raphanistrum. 



October 7th, 1865. — The Members made this day a very pleasant 

 excursion to Leith HQl, lunching at Cold Harbour. During the 

 walk from Dorking to Leith Hill, through the sandy lanes, the 

 attention of the Members was frequently called to the nature and 

 growth of the roots of trees ; the sand of the steep banks washing 

 away having left them bare for many feet in length in several places. 

 It was very evident that roots often anastomise, or become grafted 

 one on to the other, sometimes forming a complicated network. 

 Seeing how very seldom the branches of trees anastomise, this ope- 

 ration among the roots was the more striking. 



Several instances of plants, usually green in colour, becoming par- 

 tially variegated with white or yellowish white, were observed, among 

 which the common dock, Rumex obtusus, and the common wood 

 sorrel, Oxalis Acetocella, may be mentioned as being most marked. 

 This tendency to become variegated might, by judicious management 

 under cultivitation, be the basis of considerable change in the colours 

 of the leaves. The black briony, Tamm communis, was observed 

 with the whole of its leaves of a purplish black colour. 



