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British Association for the Advancement of Science. 15 
eign countries, when treated in this manner, in the most perfect 
state of health. Want of skill in the management of those 
brought from abroad was the most frequent cause of injury. Too 
much water was frequently given to plants when just packed. 
They had better be placed in too dry, than in too moist an atmos- 
phere. He had seen this illustrated in plants from India; plants 
exposed to too much moisture rotted very soon. He thought the 
change of color in the leaves of plants depended on their free ex- 
posure to light ; the Droseras mentioned had not been exposed to 
the free access of light ; this was certainly the case with the Dro- 
seras at Chatsworth and of Mr. Gray. The discovery of Mr. 
Ward was not only important in enabling us to import foreign 
plants, but it also rendered the ventilation of green-houses less 
necessary, and would enable gardeners to manage the artificiak 
climate of their hot-houses with less difficulty. The fact that 
cellular plants grow best under this mode of treatment, was well 
established.—In answer to a question from Prof. Lindley, Mr. 
Gray and Mr. Yates stated, that plants had both flowered and 
fruited under this plan of treatment.—Prof. Graham stated that 
the order in which he had found plants to grow best, was, 1. Ly- 
copodiums ; 2. Grasses; and 3. Begonias. 
Railway Tron.—Mr. ‘Mushet made some hocrmationss on Rail- 
way Iron, founded on experiments carried on for forty years. He 
expressed himself much surprised, that hitherto, in contracts for 
iron for railway purposes, fibre and hardness were not stipulated 
for, but were left to the chapter of accidents. Both these quali- 
ties might be attained by his method, the principal characteristic 
of which consisted in doing away with the refining process now 
in general practice, and the preventing the severe decarbonization — 
to which the iron was at present exposed. Several specimens of 
iron, of extremely fine fibre and hardness, were laid before the 
Section, and afterwards removed to the Model Room. The great 
object of his process was, to obviate the evil of lamination. On 
some railroads they had been obliged to lay the iron two or three 
times ; but he had little doubt, that it would soon be possible to 
obfaiss a solid rail without any exfoliation. 
Mr. Cottam mentioned, that he had known a piece of i iron six 
inches thick, and considerably bent, to be quite straightened by 
blows, but, at the same time, to be greatly weakened; and that 
he attributed this to some of its constituent crystals being driven 
