Pennsylvania for Sesstons 1g0I—1903. Ix 
strom, of Helsingfors, who showed that the variations in 
annual growth of trees in colder regions, the abundance 
there of coniferous trees with pointed leaves that might act 
as conductors of electricity, the rapid and luxuriant growth 
made during the short vegetation period and many other 
puzzling phenomena could all be explained as due to absorp- 
tion of the atmospheric electricity by plants. A consider- 
able series of experiments conducted in northern regions 
and also in France demonstrated that radiant electricity, 
supplied to plants under culture, enabled these to grow 
more luxuriantly than others not so provided. 
The Curator of the Society then drew attention to several 
valuable suites of publications just added to the Bartram 
Library through the kind interest of the Bartram Library 
Committee. These included Edward’s “Botanical Regis- 
ter,” Linnzus’ “Systema Vegetabilium,’ and Michaux’s 
“Oaks of North America.” He then referred to several 
exhibits from the University Garden, chief of which was 
Colletia cruciata in flower. 
The Curator next exhibited a valuable herbarium of one 
thousand Japanese plants, donated to the Botanical Depart- 
ment by Mr. Roberts Le Boutillier, who secured them while 
traveling in that country. Each sheet had the plant fas- 
tened by paper slips without gumming, and the whole was 
protected by a cover of Japanese paper attached to the top 
of each sheet. 
October 18. Dr. Miller, President, in the chair. Dr. 
H. Emerson Wetherill gave “Observations on the Flora 
of the Philippines” as made during a stay on the islands as 
army surgeon. He spoke of the extreme fertility of the 
areas already under cultivation. By aid of a series of hand- 
made botanical illustrations, prepared by a native artist, he 
described each native or introduced plant, as the tamarind, 
cacao, betel nut, mango, pineapple, etc., and the uses to 
which their products were put. He spoke in appreciative 
terms of Blanco’s Flora of the group. The plants there 
