XXXVili Proceedings of the Botanical Soctety of 
to the proper presentation of this subject in our school 
curriculum. The pastoral and agricultural, economic and 
scientific phases of development represent successive lines of 
advance in the relation of plant study to man. 
Dr. Shaw then spoke on plants recently collected by a 
University party in South Florida. The distribution of the 
saw and cabbage palmetto, of species of yucca, crinum, 
orchid, tillandsias, ferns, etc., were successively treated of. 
The chairman read extracts from letters sent to him and 
Miss Abbot by Professor Macfarlane, leader of the Florida 
trip. 
January 18. Dr. Miller in the chair. Henry S. Conard, 
M. A., gave “Observations on the Genera of Nymphza- 
cee.” He said that the representatives of the group were 
traceable in the tertiary formations when warmer conditions 
prevailed over wide areas for long periods of time. 
Nymphaea arctica was found fossil along with allies of 
Brasenia in arctic regions. By aid of lantern slides he then 
illustrated the structure and affinities of representatives of 
the three great natural subdivisions of the order. 
Miss Marion Mackenzie presented phyto-phenological 
reports for 1900. The number of observers for the year 
had considerably increased, though observations taken dur- 
ing the latter part of the year were less complete than in the 
earlier, and the suggestion was made that the Society’s list 
of summer and autumn flowering plants might be consider- 
ably improved and added to. Observations made by Drs. 
Macfarlane and Miller regarding the flowering and fruit- 
ing periods of several fruit trees, showed that these varied 
considerably according to the variety. 
Professor Macfarlane then exhibited a valuable collec- 
tion of microscopic slides and herbarium specimens illus- 
trating many of our native mosses. The collection was a 
gift to the department from Mrs. Josephine Lowe, a former 
member of the Society. 
A large exhibit of living plants from the University 
