Proceedings of the Sochiy, %i r 



the ground with some plant which grows and decays rabidly. 

 The p!anls commonly used being- the Ambrevate, (Cajanus 

 Itirohr and V.flavus D.c.,^) which are stated to be rejected at 

 Bourbon, in favor of the Crola'uria sericea, (Retz.,) which 

 requires no care, and whose strong horizontal branches 

 thickly leaved, soon cover the ground, and destroy many 

 noxious weeds. This plant, though well known, and pro- 

 duced spontaneously here, (one species of it being the Cas^ 

 cavel of the inhabitants,) has never been applied to this pur,, 

 pose, but it seems very much to be desired that proper tri.a's 

 of it be made. 



Mr. L^pervanche's letter is accompanied by a letter from 

 Mr. Belier Beaumont, also a Corresponding Member of the 

 Society, in answer to the questions circulated by the Agri? 

 cultural Committee. 



These two valuable communications merit the attention and 

 thanks of the Society, and are ordered to be engrossed in its 

 Transactions. The thanks of the Society are likewise voted 

 to its Vice-Secretary, Mr. Vigoureux, who went to Bourbon 

 to put himself in communication with Messrs. Lepervancha 

 and Beaumont, and has thus put the Society in possession of 

 the two interesting documents, which are hereto prefixed. 



Dr. Ferrot read a paper on the preparation and method 

 of using a certaia inflammable fluid which is known under the 

 name of " Liquid Gas." Dr. Perrot thinks that this 

 substance, which is composed of Alcohol and Spirits of 

 Turpentine, would advantageously take the place of the Oils 

 used in Lamps ; he is of opinion that it, or some similar 

 compound, has in Paris for many years, and latterly at the 

 Cape, been employed for such uses, and he proposes at some 

 future meeting to enter into more full details on this sub* 

 ject. 



