Mar. 1894.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. l79 



The following Papers were read : — 



The President gave an interesting display of lantern- 

 slides illustrating his views, which he explained, of the 

 progressive sterilisation of cells in sporangia of the 

 Ptcridophyta. 



Notes from the Eoyal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 



I. Eeport on Temperature and Vegetation during 

 February 1894. By Egbert Lindsay^, Curator. 



The past month of Pebruary has been remarkable for 

 the excessive rainfall that took place, which was unpre- 

 cedented for February, and for the storm}-, unsettled 

 weather that prevailed throughout the whole month. 

 Gales from the westward or south-westward were frequent. 

 The thermometer was at or below the freezing point on 

 tifteen occasions, indicating collectively for the month 63° 

 of frost, as against 64° for the corresponding mouth last 

 year. The lowest readings occurred on the 1st, 24"'; 14th, 

 20°; 15th, 22°; 19th, 25°; 22nd, 25°. The lowest day 

 temperature was 36°, on the 17th, and the highest 55,° on 

 the 6th. Vegetation generally is well forward. A large 

 number of spring plants are in blossom. Eibes, thorns, 

 roses, lilacs, and other hardy shrubs are fast starting into 

 growth. Deciduous trees, such as elm, poplar, alder, and 

 hazel are bearing large quantities of flower buds. Very 

 little injury has been done by frost this winter so far as 

 it has gone. Of the forty spring-flowering plants whose 

 dates of flowering are annually recorded, the following 11 

 came into flower, viz. : — CoryUus Avellana, on 3rd February ; 

 Rhododendron Nobleanum, 3rd ; Scilla bifolia, 5th ; Crocus 

 Susiamis, 6th; C. vermis, 12th; Si/riiplocarpus fcdidus, 

 13th; Nor drnannica cor difolia, 1-^ih. ; Iris rcticidata, 19th; 

 Tussilago nivea, 19th; Arabis cdhida, 20th; Mandragora 

 offi-cincdis, 26th. 



On the rock-garden 40 species and varieties came into 

 flower during the month, the same niimber as for the 

 corresponding month last year. Among the more interest- 

 ing were — ColcMciun crocifiorum, Corydalis angustifolius, 



