ee 
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: Re) are, ‘L=To éxcite inquiry on the various species of cotton plant’ ~_ 
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British Association for the Advancement of Science. 131 
Next was read a Report on the distribution of the Pulmonife- 
rous Mollusca in Britain, and the causes influencing it; drawn 
up at the request of the Association, by Mr. E. Forbes. The 
object of this inquiry was to ascertain the geographical and geo- 
logical distribution of pulmoniferous mollusca in the British isles. 
The subject was considered under three heads ; ; first, a view of 
the various influences which affect their distribbutiel; second, a 
detailed view of the distribution of the indigenous species in the 
various provinces of Britain ; and third, the relations of that di- 
Vision of the native Fauna to the Fauna of Europe, and the dis- 
— generally of the more remarkable species. 7 
r. J. EK. Bowman exhibited specimens of a species of Dod- ~~ 
as et epilinum, first found in Britain two years ago, by =~ 
‘ Self, and again in anew locality within the present month. 
' He believes it is found exclusively on flax, and has been mista- 
nit C. Europea, from which however it is quite distinct. 
paper was read.on the cultivation of the Cotton of commerce, ; 
Fez Major General Briggs. The objects proposed in the paper, _ ee 
‘that produce the cotton of commerce. 2. 'T'o ascertain the na- ae 
ture of the soils adapted to each. 3. To prove the practicability tg 
of cultivating the plant in India, for the supply of the AS, 
market to any extent. Of the species that produce the various —— 
‘cottons of commerce, we have at present very little accurate 
knowledge, and this has arisen from the alterations undergone by 
the plant in the process of cultivation. But there can be no 
doubt that the plants which produce cotton in America, Asia and 
Africa are of decidedly different species. The plant that produ- 
ces the Brazil cotton, probably the Gossypium hirsutum, grows 
15 or 20 feet high, is perennial, and produces cotton with a long 
and strong staple, and moderately fine and silky. The plant . 
common to the West Indies, (said to have been imported from , 
Guiana, ) is triennial, bearing abundantly a fine silky long staple,. 
and is the G. Barbadense of botanists. 'This also is the plant 
Which produces the Sea-island cotton. When this plant was 
Carried from the coast into the interior of Georgia and Carolina, 
the seed changed from a black to a green color, and the staple 
became shorter, coarser and more woolly. ‘This plant was after- 
‘Wards introduced into Egypt, and is the same that produces the 
Bourbon cotton, cultivated by te French on that island. Mr. 
