976 



vations and Experiments illustrative of the Cause of the Ascent and 

 continued Motion of the Sap,' in continuation of a paper presented 

 November 1842, by G. Rainey, Esq. — - The author here gives an ac- 

 count of some experiments which he has lately made, tending, in his 

 opinion, to corroborate the opinions he advanced in his former paper ; 

 namely, that the ascending sap is situate in the intercellular and in- 

 tervascular spaces of the plant, and that its passage into the cells is 

 effected by the action of endosmose, which the intervening membranes 

 whether living, or deprived of vitality, exert upon that fluid. He found 

 that portions of many plants, such as Anthriscus vulgaris and the Lap- 

 sana communis, absorb a much larger quantity of fluid when they are 

 immersed in pure water, than when similarly immersed in a solution 

 of gum-arabic : and that, in the latter case, the remaining portion of 

 the solution is of the same specific gravity as before any part has been 

 absorbed by the plant. By a similar process the author conceives the 

 fluid which is derived from the earth, and has passed into the inter- 

 cellular spaces of the cotyledons, are imbibed by its cells by endos- 

 mose ; while at the same time a fluid containing sugar is passing, by 

 exosmose, out of these cells into the intercellular and intervascular 

 tissue, and thence into the corresponding tissue of the peduncle and 

 young stem ; it there meets with, and is diluted by the water ascend- 

 ing in the same tissue from the roots, and the mixture is afterwards 

 distributed over every part of the plant."— J^/tew<BMm, Ap7'il 10, 1844. 



Art. CCXYlI.-^Proceedings of Societies. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



April 12, 1844. — John Reynolds, Esq., Treasurer, in the chair. 

 Various donations were announced, including a very large collection 

 of East Indian plants, presented by the Royal Horticultural Society 

 of Cornwall. Mr. D. Moore, of the Dublin Botanic garden, presented 

 numerous specimens of Carex paradoxa ( IVilld.), collected in Ireland. 

 Mr. W. L. Notcutt presented many duplicates of Statice rariflora {Dre- 

 ger), collected in Hants. Various other specimens were presented for 

 the Society's herbarium, in illustration of the varieties recorded in the 

 ' London Catalogue of British Plants.' 



Read, 'A Synoptical View of the British Fruticose Rubi, arranged in 

 groups, with explanatory remarks (Part 2)': by E. Lees, Esq., F.L.S. 

 The paper was accompanied by drawings and specimens. — G. E. D. 



