Pennsylvania for Sesstons Igo0I—I903. lix 
He then exhibited and shortly commented on flowering 
plants of Hemanthus Kalbreyeri, species of Masdevalla, 
etc., from the greenhouses. 
June 6. Dr. Miller, President, in the chair. The Presi- 
dent named a temporary chairman and proceeded to speak 
on “The Flora of Palestine” as noted during recent travel. 
The difficult landing from the steamer at Jaffa, its beautiful 
gardens and orange groves and the tall hedges of optunias 
that line the roadways were described. In the gardens of 
the monastery Eucalyptus trees were in flower, while fig 
trees and hyssop were abundant. On the railroad journey 
to Jerusalem, the plain of Sharon was traversed for about 
thirty miles, and was covered with a rich, green verdure 
which contrasted agreeably with the barren hills subsequently 
reached. While these hills were almost desolate of trees, 
except for a few stunted olives and figs, there was still a 
profusion of brilliantly colored flowers springing from the 
barren soil, amongst these being Anemone coronaria, Crocus 
Gatllardotu, etc. The immediate vicinity of the Dead Sea 
was absolutely destitute of vegetation. 
Professor Macfarlane then gave “Notes on the Vegeta- 
tion of the Swiss Alps as compared with that of the White 
Mountains.” He stated that the most striking feature con- 
sisted in the brilliancy and large size of blooms from the 
Alps as compared with the smaller and less conspicuous 
ones from the White Mountains. He cited the gentians, 
saxifrages, primroses, violets and orchids from the former 
region, as compared with the ericaceous and cruciferous 
plants from the latter. The extreme richness in the species 
of comparatively small areas of the Alps as compared with 
the more uniform and monotonous vegetation of the latter 
was another feature. But in interesting problems of plant 
distribution and environmental modification, the Alps 
seemed to be less instrutive than our own mountains. 
Attention was drawa by the director to various plant 
exhibits from the Garden. 
