of Edinhimjh, Session 1879-80. xxi 



V. Report on the effects of last tuinter on Vegetation in different 

 parts of Scotland, and on the progress of Opien-Air 

 Vegetation at the Royal Botanic Garden from the 

 leginning of May. By Mr John Sadlek, Curator. 



Mr Buclian, with reference to these reports, mentioned that at 

 Springwood Park, Kelso, a reading had been taken at 16° below 

 zero, which was 4° lower than any reading that, so far as he was 

 _ aware, had ever been registered in the British Islands, being in 

 reality considerably lower than that reported frora Ormiston, which 

 was obtained on an exposed thermometer, while at Kelso the instru- 

 ment was protected. 



Mr M. Dunn showed a branch of holly berries in full maturity. 

 Such an extraordinary phenomenon of the season he accounted for 

 by the death of birds, — whose winter food these berries are, — owing 

 to the severe temperatures of the winter 1879-80. 



MISCELLANEOUS COMMUNICATIONS. 



1. Mrs Bain of Napier Eoad, Merchiston, exhibited a splendidly 

 developed specimen of the Edelweiss grown in her garden. 



2. Mr Campbell of Ledaig, Argyleshire, sent strawberries 

 which had rij)ened with him in the open gi-ound at the 29 th of 

 May. 



3. The president gave to the garden specimens of the Lavatera 

 arhorea, two varieties ; and a specimen of the variegated Holcus. 

 mollis got by him in Prestonkirk, Mid-Lothian. 



4. The Eev. John Stevenson of Glamis, Forfarshire, sent a fine 

 specimen of Hypoerea parmeliodes, Mont {H. ricciodea, Berk, 

 Sphaeri ricciodea, Bolt) for the Herbarium. This plant is figured 

 in "Todes Fungi Mecklenbergensis," and also in "Annales des 

 Sciences K"aturelles," by IMontague, to whom it was sent from 

 Limoges by M. Larmy. The specimen now presented had been 

 given to the donor by Mr James M'Andrew, who had found it in 

 New GaUoway in 1878. The Eev. ]\Ir Berkeley makes the only 

 previous record of it in England to have been in February 1790. 



5. Mr W, P. Drummond intimated that his firm were exhibiting 

 a specimen of Liiium gigantcuvi in flower about 8 feet high. 



6. W. B. Boyd, Esq., of Ormiston House, showed a beautiful 

 abnormal form of the common daisy. 



7. A section of an oak 1-45 years old, was exhil^ited, which had 

 been felled in the spring of 1879 at Cammo, at 2 feet from the 

 roots. The centre was considerably decayed for 2 feet nearly, 



