132 British Association for the Advancement of Science. | | 
Spalding records several varieties, attention to which is of the 
greatest importance to the cultivation, since they vary in the 
character of their staple, in the shape and size of their pods, in 
the hue of the cotton, and in the duration of the plant. The 
common indigenous plant of India is the G. herbacewm of bota- 
nists, and differs in appearance from the cottons of the Western 
world; besides which there is the G. religioswm, producing the 
brown cotton extensively grown in China. The former plant is 
usually cultivated as an annual, but has been successfully treated 
and grown as a perennial, by the process of pruning down when 
the cotton is gathered. The produce of this plant is not inferior _ 
in fineness, and is superior in point of richness of color, to the 
best cottons of America. The staple is however short, and by 
the great neglect hitherto evinced in picking the produce at the 
proper time, and carelessness in allowing particles of dried leaves 
or the calyx of the flower to adhere to the wool, it brings a lower 
price, and is considered an inferior article in the English market, — 
as - perior in quality and durability. There is another kind of cotton 
“< 
_ produced from a species in Africa, which Dr. Royle cone 
allied to the G. herbaceum of India. 
to the New Orleans and Georgian of America, though really su- x" ; 
Mr. W. Danson made some remarks on the introduction of a ai oat 
species of Awchenia into Britain. Samples and manufactured 
specimens of Alpaca wool, in imitation of ’silk, (and without 
dye,) as black as jet, were exhibited. Mr. D. stated that the ani- 
mals producing it ought to be propagated in Britain. Importa> 
tions of the wool have already been made to the extent of one ; 
million pounds, and are likely to increase. ‘There are five spe-— rae 
cies of Llamas, of which, the Alpaca has fine wool, 6 to 12 inches _ 
long ; the Llamas, hair which is very coarse, anil the Vicuna, 
has a very short fine wool, more of the beaver cast. The wool 
of these animals would not enter into competition with the 
wool of sheep, but rather with silk. It is capable of the finest 
manufacture, and is especially suited to the fine shawl trade. 
The yarns spun from it are already sent to France in large qual- 
tities, at from 6s. to 12s. 6d. per pound, the piece of the raw Al- . 
paca wool being now 2s. and 2s. 6d. per pound. 
Prof. Jones made some observations on an apparatus for observ- ' 
ing fish, (especially of the family Salmonide,) in confinement. 
He had prosecuted numerous inquiries in Scotland with reference | 
