914 



when harvested last year, had a peculiarly watery and immature appear- 

 ance when cooked, and were without that solidity which is the usual 

 characteristic of good early potatoes : this year, on the contrary, the 

 early potatoes are unusually good and solid, not only as compared 

 with last year's crop, but as compared with that of preceding years : 

 my attention has been called to this fact by ray friend Mr. Cameron, 

 late of the Birmingham Botanic Garden, a thoroughly practical cul- 

 tivator and acute observer. Thus, as far as past experience and 

 present appearances can guide us in this momentous matter, the 

 prospects for the approaching potato-harvest are peculiarly favour- 

 able : the early varieties are already harvested in excellent condition, 

 and the late ones are yet unscathed. The supply is unusually large 

 for the time of year ; and, should we have no more public fasts or 

 famine prayers, to enrich the speculators through the fears of the 

 people, there is every reason to believe that food will shortly be as 

 cheap as it promises to be exuberantly abundant. 



Edward Newman. 

 9, Devonshire Street, Bishopsgate, 

 28th July, 1847. 



Researches in Embryology. By W. Wilson, Esq. 

 (Continued from Phytol. i. 882). 



In all investigations which require microscopic aid, the liability to 

 error is greatly increased when the parts to be examined are very mi- 

 nute and of delicate texture, and so connected with contiguous matter 

 that the attempt to sever them without laceration and distortion is 

 almost a hopeless task. Researches in Embryology are attended 

 with peculiar difficulties, and the former parts of this essay will show 

 the expediency of engaging the attentive scrutiny of an additional 

 number of competent observers in order to obtain correct and unde- 

 niable conclusions. 



My present purpose is to detail the result of an examination of two 

 or three species of gourd, commenced last summer, with all the scep- 

 ticism natural to one who had been repeatedly baffled in the attempt 

 to ascertain the truth of the alleged fact that the pollen-tube pene- 

 trates the orifice of the ovule. 



Having obtained favourable sections of the fertilized germen, it 



