440 Intelligence and Miscellaneous Articles. 
«¢ Mr. Barlow asserts the neutral axis in rectangular bars to be 
as 1 to 4. I assert that with his own formula and his own experi- 
ments it is as 1 to 10.—Mr. Barlow in another mode of calcula- 
ting it for railway-bars gives it as 1 to 9. I say that his own experi- 
ments and his own formule show that it is as 9 to 1. 
«« Mr. Barlow assigns 7 tons as the strength of certain rails. I say 
his own formule will only give half that strength. 
“« Mr. Barlow asserts that the deflection of a rail is the same at all 
velocities of the engines. I assert that it is not.” 
BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 
We rejoice to observe that a Botanical Society has been established 
in Edinburgh. At a meeting which took place on the 17th of March, 
the Society was constituted, under the title of ‘‘ The Botanical Society 
of Edinburgh,’—the meetings to be held on the second Thursday of 
every month, from November to July inclusive. 
Professor Graham has been elected President, and Drs. Greville 
and Balfour Vice-Presidents of the Society for the present year. 
The advancement of Botanical Science is the object of the Society. 
Its operations will for some time be confined principally to the hold- 
ing of periodical meetings, to correspondence, to the formation of an 
herbarium, and the interchange of specimens. The last is a new 
feature in the constitution of such a Society, and will be conducted 
by a committee, in accordance with certain rules embodied in the 
laws. The desiderata of botanists in all parts of the kingdom will be 
supplied, as far as possible, from the Society’s duplicates, and indi- 
viduals will secure the important advantage of exchanging the bota- 
nical productions of their respective districts for those of others more 
remotely situated. The benefits resulting to science, as well as to 
individuals, by this arrangement, will it is hoped be considerable ; es- 
pecially in regard to the Geographical Distribution of Plants in the 
British Islands and the formation of Local Floras. The Society, be- 
sides, contemplates an extension of this plan by promoting an ex- 
change of specimens with botanists in other parts of the world. 
The members will be divided into the following classes :—Resi- 
dent, Non-resident, Foreign, and Associate. Any person wishing to 
become a non-resident member must be recommended by two indi- 
viduals belonging to some scientific or literary Society, and pay a 
contribution of two guineas, which, without any additional payment, 
will entitle him, as long as he continues annually to send specimens 
to the Society, to a participation in the duplicates. To become a 
Foreign Member, it is necessary to transmit 500 specimens, including 
at least 100 species, or a botanical work of which the candidate is 
himself the author,—the former alternative, only, entitling him to a 
share of the Society’s duplicates. To continue to participate in these 
duplicates, he must afterwards contribute annually 300 specimens, 
including at least 50 species. 
The Flora of Edinburgh, which is particularly rich, will afford a 
