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MISCELLANEOUS CONTRIBUTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS. 



SESSION 1884-85. 



November 13, 1884. 



On the motion of Mr S. Grieve, a committee was appointed to 

 inquire into the best . means of conducting a Botanical Camp, and 

 also as to the advisability of the Botanical Society either hiring or 

 acquiring camp materials for the use of its members. Mr Grieve 

 was appointed convener. 



Exhibition and accompanying note by A. P. Aitken, M.A., D.Sc, 

 on AstragahM moUissimus. This plant, communicated by a friend 

 from Northern Texas, U.S., ie called by the Mexicans "Loco," i.e., 

 " crazy." It is often greedily eaten by horses and cattle, the effect 

 produced being similar to that resulting from excessive opium eat- 

 ing by man. The horse, " becoming dazed, stupid, and crazy," gels 

 thin and dies. An instance was given where, on one ranche, 100 

 out of 160 horses were lost through its effects. 



Exhibition of a cluster of flowers of Lapageria alba, by Dr 

 Paterson, Bridge of Allan. 



]\Ir Lindsay exhibited a large quantity of seeds of Japanese trees 

 and shrubs, presented through Dr Cleghom to the Eoyal Botanic 

 Garden, by the kindness of the Japanese Commissioners, to the 

 International Forestry Exhibition. 



Mr John Campbell of Ledaig sent ftowere in bloom, gathered in 

 his garden on the day preyious to the meeting. 



December 11. 



After the election of Office-Bearers, the Society resolved to award 

 Mr A. Taylor, F.C.S., who had retired from the office of Assistant, 

 Secretary, a cordial vote of thanks for his valuable honorary services 

 during the past five years, and also a honorarium of twenty 

 guineas. 



Mr J. Eattray, M.A., B.Sc, exhibited and described specimens of 

 " Abnormal Capitula of Chrysanthemum leucanthemum" from Misses 

 Whyte and Kidd, Dundee. In all the specimens exhibited, the 

 capitiila had assumed the form of a cycloid inserted at right angles 

 to the more or less flattened peduncle, the long corollas of the 

 ligulate florets thus growing parallel to, instead of out from, the 

 extremity of the peduncle. In one an incomplete secondary 

 capitulum had originated from its side. 



