April 1902.] BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDIXBUEGH 195 



and it was resolved to form a Society, with Professor 

 Graham as President, and Mr. James M'Xab, Curator. 

 An Herbarium aud Library were to be formed, and 

 donations of plants and books received, and also plants 

 and books to be purchased. This work was carried on 

 with great energy, and the Society immediately took a 

 position in the botanical world, which made it of great 

 use, not only to its members, but to the University of 

 Edinburgli. 



Prom its inception the Society was closely associated 

 with the Eoyal Botanic Garden, at which it has, during 

 each year of its existence, by the courtesy of the Professor 

 of Botany, held its three summer meetings — the first of 

 these having taken place on 12th May 1836. As it 

 seemed desirable to the President and Council of the 

 Society that they should become more fully acquainted 

 with the history of the Society and its relation to the 

 University and to the Pioyal Botanic Garden, the following 

 notes have been extracted from its archives :— 



Amalgamation of the Botanical Society's Scrharium and 

 that of the College, etc. Also regarding the Botanical 

 Society's Library. 



At a meeting of the Society, held in the Eoyal Institution, 

 8th November 1838, "The Treasurer read a copy of a 

 Petition, signed by the majority of the Council" of the 

 Botanical Society, dated 30th July 1838, and presented 

 to the Town Council of Edinburgh, praying that, as Patrons 

 of the University, they would consent to a union between 

 the Botanical Society's Herbarium and that belonging to 

 the College. A letter from the President to the Town 

 Council annexed to the Petition, containing a recommenda- 

 tion of the proposed union, was also read. The Treasurer 

 stated that the Petition had been favourably received 

 by the Patrons, and remitted by them to the Senators 

 for further consideration. The President mentioned that 

 the Petition had been duly considered by the Senatus, 

 and a Committee appointed, of which he was Convener, 

 to arrange the terms for carrying into eftect the desired 

 union, and that he had no doubt the matter would, in 

 a very short time, be satisfactorily adjusted." 



