TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. Il7 



and that this substance might be obtained at a much lower price than 

 at present. The author thought the cultivation of the vanilla plant 

 could not take place in the British isles. In order to obtain good fruit, 

 the plant should be allowed to grow five or six years ; the fruit is not 

 in proportion to the flowers ; and the older, the larger, and the more 

 branches the plant possessed, the better is its fruit. Exposure to the 

 sun is not necessary for the maturation of the fruit ; shade, heat, and 

 humidity being the three conditions necessary for the flowers. The 

 stigma of the plant is supplied with a peculiar appendage, which covers 

 over the stigmatic surface in the form of a veil, and this requires to be 

 lifted up before the artificial impregnation of the plant can take place. 

 The author went into several particulars necessary to be attended to for 

 the successful cultivation of the plant. 



On the Botany of the Channel Islands. By Charles C. Babington, 

 M.A., F.L.S., S)-c. 



In this communication the author mentioned the discovery of the 

 following eight plants in these islands in addition to those noticed at 

 the Liverpool Meeting, namely, 



Ranunculus ophioglossif alius. Ononis reclinata. 

 Orchis laxijlora, Potamogetoii plantagineiis, 



Linaria pelisseriana, Carex punctata, 



Myriophyllum alternijlorum, and Polygala oxyptera. 

 He said that twenty species existed in the islands which had not as yet 

 been noticed in Britain, and announced his intention of publishing an 

 outline of their Flora in a few months. 



On the Genera Pinus and Abies. By Capt. J. C. Cook, R.N. 

 The author commenced by stating, that not less than seventy species 

 of Pinus and Abies had been lately introduced into this country. The 

 disti'ibution of these throughout the world he divided into five groups: 

 — 1. Those of Old America, Avhich included the United States, the 

 Mississippi and Canada, with Labrador. 2. Those growing between 

 the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, in the district known by the name of 

 the Rocky Mountains, and which might appropriately be called the 

 "Douglas Group." 3. The uplands of Mexico. 4. The Himalaya 

 Mountains. 5. Europe. The first group contains about twenty sjse- 

 cies, none of which can be said to produce more than second-rate 

 timber. They are fine trees in their native forests, but degenerate in 

 Europe. 2. The " Douglas Group." Of these there are about fifteen 

 species, possessing all the qualifications for good timber, at the same 

 time tliat they are evergreens, and grow quickly ; and from the pre- 

 sent condition of the young plants in England, the most sanguine an- 

 ticipations of their successful culture in this country may be enter- 

 tained. At present, however, little positive information had been ob- 

 tained with regard to this group. 3. The species from Mexico are at 



