608 TEAXSACTIOXS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THK [Se.ss. i.vii. 



Mr. T. CuTHBERT Day directed the attention of the 

 Society to, and read a summary of, the valuable paper 

 entitled "Contribution to the Chemistry and Physiology 

 of Foliage Leaves," by Mr. Horace T. Brown, F.R.S., and 

 Mr. G. H. Morris, published in the Journal of the 

 Chemical Society. 



The following paper was read: — 



Ox Temperature and Vegetation in the Eoyal Botanic 

 Garden, Edinburgh, during the month of May 1893. By 

 IIOBERT Lindsay, Curator of the Garden. 



The past month of May will be remembered as one of 

 the most favourable experienced during recent years. No 

 frost occurred, and vegetation has gone on advancing with- 

 out any check. The rainfall of May was less than the 

 average, still there was sufficient to prevent plants from 

 suffering through lack of moisture. The foliage of all the 

 ordinary deciduous trees and shrubs is now in perfect con- 

 dition, being most luxuriant and healthy ; varieties having 

 variegated and coloured leaves are unusually rich in colour 

 owing to the large amount of heat and bright sunshine 

 experienced ; specially noticeable are the various maples, 

 hollies, yews, biotas, and retinosporas. The flowering of 

 most kinds of ornamental trees and shrubs is above the 

 average in richness and profusion of blossom ; haw- 

 thorn, horse-chestnut, laburnum, weigelias, and lilac were 

 among the finest and most effective. The lowest night 

 temperature registered at tlie garden was 00°, which 

 occurred on the 1st of the month. Other low readings 

 were registered on the 2nd, o7° ; 7th, 39°; and the 31st, 

 35°. The lowest day tem})erature was 49°, on the 2nd, 

 and the highest 70°, on the 19th of the month. 



The rock-garden was very attractive during the month 

 from the large number of plants in blossom; 300 species 

 and well-marked varieties opened their first flower in May. 

 Among the most interesting were: — Anemone alpina 

 sulphurea, A. narcissijlora, Campanula Allioni, C. ahietina, 

 Cotoneaskr ihymifolia, C, horizontalis, Calochortus cceritkus, 

 Cytisus dccicmhcns, C. Andreanus, Anthyllis erinacea, A. 

 montana ruhra, Daphne Cnrorum, Dinntlivfi Micliael Foster, 



