— 342 — 



At all events the discovery of the powder of Messrs 

 Corne & Demeaux appears to be the basis upon which 

 the processes of Dr Fressanges and Dr Barraut pivot. 



There remains now to try the effects of these diffe- 

 rent powders to ^certain the superiority of some over 

 the others. 



The Society has made a task of introducing into the 

 colony certain fruit trees which it does not possess. 

 A very interesting collection was sent out by our agent, 

 Mr J. Morris, in London. They unfortunately suffered 

 a good deal in the voyage. Nevertheless a few were 

 saved, which were entrusted to the care of the Hono- 

 rable Mr C. Wiehe and Mr J. Levieux. 



The Society has also received from Madagascar by 

 the care of the Secretary, several kinds of Bananas, new 

 to the colony, and which have been distributed amongst 

 members and other persons. From the correspondence 

 which he has established at Tamatave with Mr Ed. 

 Lebrun, who appears anxious to serve the Society, 

 Your Secretary hopes to receive by every ship from 

 that port, new kinds of Bananas and of other produc- 

 tions of that island so rich in every kind of produce. 



The correspondence between the Secretary and Mr 

 Diard will not fail soon to bear its fruits. Several ca- 

 ses of plants destined to enrich our orchards and gar- 

 dens will shortly be received from Batavia vi^ Singa- 

 pore. ^ , 



"We are happy to be able to notice a considerable in- 

 crease in the number of our Members this year. The 

 number of Resident Members admitted is 34, and of 

 Corresponding Members, 3. Amongst the new Mem- 

 bers who have joined our ranks, are a few medical 

 gentlemen. The result was that several interesting 

 papers enriched our Archives. 



The Secretary called the attention of planters to two 

 species of cultivation to which the inhabitants of Cey- 

 lon had applied themselves when they were compelled 

 to abandon the cultivation of the sugar cane on account 

 of the ravages of the Borer, viz. : coffee and the cocoa 

 nut. 



He remarked that the Archipelagoes which form a 

 dependency of Mauritius, Diego, Agalega, etc., pro- 



