TRANSACTIONS OP THE SECTIONS. 69 



formed starch-granules. In many instances, utricles were met with of a large size, 

 and filled with a brood of secondary utricles, each containing homogeneous green 

 contents, surrounding a nucleus-like starch-granule. 



On some New Plants. By Professor J. H. Balfour, M.D. 



Notes on the Growth of Symphytum officinale in the Botanical Gardens of 

 the Royal Agricultural College. By Professor James Buckman, F.G.S. 

 During some experiments on plants of Stjm'phytwn officinale, the common comfrey, 

 and S. asperrtmum, the comfrey cultivated in the Gardens, the author was struck with 

 the resemblance of the two species ; and gave an account of certain intermediate forms, 

 which led him to the conclusion that these plants were one and the same species. 



Additional Observations on a Neio System of Classifying Plants. 

 By B. Clarke. 



On a Method of Accelerating the Germination of Seeds. 

 By Robert Hunt. 

 This communication was merely a recapitulation of the results obtained by 

 the author, and fully communicated in Reports published in former volumes. Its 

 object was to introduce a letter from Messrs. Lawson and Co. of Edinburgh, who 

 stated that by adopting the plan of cutting off the luminous rays by the use of 

 cobalt blue glass, as recommended by Mr. R. Hunt, they succeeded in obtaining 

 healthful germination far more rapidly than under ordinary circumstances. They 

 had constructed a house glazed with blue glass, and in this all their seeds were 

 tested. This practical application of a scientific discovery was of the utmost value 

 to them. Tropical seeds under the same circumstances were found to germinate in 

 a few days, -whereas in ordinary conditions many weeks were required for the 



completion of the process. 



On the Pentasulphide of Calcium as a Remedy for Grape Disease, 

 By Dr. Astley P. Price. 



On the DiatomacetB found in the neighbourhood of Hull. 

 By J. D. Sollitt and R. Harrison. 

 It was the purport of this paper to show how exceedingly rich the vicinity of Hull 

 is in those beautiful forms of living atoms called Infusorial shells, or Diatomacese, 

 upwards of 145 species having been found and examined by the authors of the paper. 

 The contents of the paper not only went to show the beauties of those formations, hut 

 also the great value of some particular species as test objects for microscopes, parti- 

 cularly the Pleurosigma attenualum, P. slrigomm, P. elongatum, P. qiiadratum, 

 P. fasciola, &c., the delicate markings on each of which had been first discovered by 

 the authors of this paper, and their superiority, above all others, as test objects pointed 

 out. The paper then went on to show tlie errors into which the Rev. W. Smith had 

 fallen with regard to the number of markings in the inch on each of those delicate 

 coverings, and also the impossibility of the markings being the result of internal 

 Btruoture. It was likewise stated, that in making a large drain in Holderness for the 

 purpose of taking the water from the low lands into the Humber, an immense bed of 

 fossil DiatomacesB had been discovered, which bed consisted of almost 100 different 

 species, but generally of the smaller kinds ; and that in examining tlie matter taken 

 from a large submerged forest on the Holderness coast, an immense number of fossil 

 freshwater Diatomacese had been found, although the sea washes over the same at every 

 tide, clearly showing that the forest had been overthrown by some great run of fresh 

 water long before the sea had reached the point which it now has. 1'lie paper con- 

 cluded by the authors entirely disagreeing with those naturalists who wish to place 

 these living forms in the vegetable kingdom, the motions of many of them being more 

 rapid in proportion to their size than that of several larger animals. 



On a New Alga. By W. Somers. 



