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December 9 — Mr. W. Masters delivered a Lecture on 

 Vegetable Physiology. This lecture was principally devoted 

 to the consideration of the developement and increase of 

 seeds, and the conditions necessary for such results were 

 stated to be ; — first, a perfect arrangement of the parts of 

 the seed itself ; second, the placing of the seed in a proper 

 condition, externally for germination. In the latter division 

 the exclusion of light was mentioned to be almost an in- 

 dispensible requisite, for seeds subject to its action could 

 never vegetate although surrounded by other circumstances 

 perfectly favourable, added to which a sutKcient tem})erature 

 of heat is necessary, as no seeds have ever been found to 

 vegetate at a temperature below the freezing point. A most 

 important point was also stated — that of the access of moisture 

 to a certain degree, and lastly the free admission of atmos- 

 pheric air, as no germ could be evolved neither in vacuo, nor 

 in an artificial atmosphere of any of the gases, (except 

 oxygen,) in a pure state, but with oxygen in combination 

 with many others, growth is effected, and with oxymuriatic 

 gas, vitality appears even to be accelerated. The chemical 

 changes of seeds during germination were next adverted to, 

 and also the various periods of time at which different kinds 

 retain their power of vegetation. 



December 16. — Mr. Masters delivered his second Lecture 

 on Vegetable Physiology. This weis illustrative of the 

 developement of the young plant from the seed, and expla- 

 natory of its progress through its various stages of growth, 

 maturity, and decay. The formation of the Epidermis, 

 Liber, and Alburnum or Wood, were described, and many 

 specimens of each exhibited in illustration. The beauty 

 and variety of the grain in Wood was stated to arise from the 

 concentric and divergent texture of the several layers. The 

 evolvement of Buds, and the production of the branches from 

 them was considered, and the Lecture concluded with some 

 extended remarks on grafting by which the most esteemed 

 kinds of plants were perpetuated and increased. 



December 23. — Mr. T. Baskerville, jun. delivered a 

 Lecture in which he treated on and explained the nature 

 and properties of matter — its impenetrability, divisibility, 

 mobility, &c. according to the Newtonian Theory. 



December 30, — Mr. W. Philpot, jun. delivered his 

 second Lecture on Gymnastics ; in which he recapitulated 

 the heads of his former lecture, and called the attention of 

 . his audience to the valuable results produced by exercise ; 

 and strengthened his arguments by giving the opinions of 

 many eminent Physicians. The Lecturer then adverted to 



