166 Miscellaneous Contributions and 



both occasions many yo'ing plaats were raised from the seed, as has 

 also been done during the present year of ripening. The young 

 plants of 1883 look fully better matured, perhaps because the 

 flowering occurred in the beginning of July, iustead of the begin- 

 ning of August, in 1879. The date of the second flowering was 

 not recorded. Thus far they have flowered in Orkney every second 

 year, whereas in New Zealand, it is said, they mostly flower every 

 third year. Mr Lindsay exhibited a young healthy plant of ISTew 

 Zealand flax from the Eoyal Botanic Garden, which had been 

 raised from some of the seeds of 1881. 



"Kote on a variegated form of Asplenium Adiantum-nirirum 

 found at Pitlochrie," by Mr Eobert Lindsay. — This was a fine 

 variegated form of Asplenmrn Adiantum-nigrum, which was 

 presented to the Garden by P. H. Ptooke, Esq., Weybridge, who 

 obtained it near Pitlochrie in the autumn. The variegation was 

 more marked than usually found in such forms of this species. 



January 10, 1884. 



" On the Common Lupin as a Fodder Plant in Orkney," by 

 WiUiam Traill, Esq., M.D., of Woodwick. The foUowing 

 letter from Dr TraiU was read : — 



" When taking a walk last September, about a mile to the east- 

 ward of the ]\Ianse of Sand wick, in the west mainland of Orkney, I 

 was a good deal surprised to come upon a large quantity of the 

 common blue Lupin of our gardens— ivM^jmws perennis, I believe ; 

 about 3 acres of ground were thickly covered with it, but scattered 

 plants extended to a much greater distance ; the plants were 2 or 

 3 feet high, and most of them were covered with ripe seeds ; the 

 soil they grew in appeared a thin yellowish loam, mixed with small 

 angular pieces of flagstone, and partially covered with tufts of 

 heather. On inquiry, I found that it was known that the plant 

 had escaped from a garden in the neighbourhood a good many years 

 ago. I observed that in parts where it had been long growing, the 

 tufts of heather had disappeared, and were replaced by a thin 

 covering of grass. I understand that cattle are partial to this plant, 

 and I observed a cow eagerly cropping it while I was there. I 

 believe this is not the only instance of the Lupin becoming natural- 

 ised in Scotland, but it appeared to me to be suSiciently interesting 

 to bring to the notice of the Society, more especially as it seems to 

 be a useful kind of fodder to introduce on waste ground, where 

 hardly anything else wiU grow." 



Professor Dickson gave a microscopic demonstratioa of the 

 structure of the pitcher in the seedling of Nepenthes as compared 

 with that in the adult plant. 



