156 



Canonmills Garden were placed respectively on the roots of pear, fil- 

 bert, and hazel ; on the latter only did it succeed, and it now covers a 

 space of ground three feet in diameter, annually producing numerous 

 flower-stems, as large and perfect as in its native locality. 



Mr. M'Nab also exhibited a flowering plant of what is now gene- 

 rally cultivated in the British gardens under the name of Bryanthus 

 erectus. The original plant was produced during the year 1841, by 

 Mr. James Cunningham of the Comely Bank nurseries, from seed of 

 the Phyllodoce (Menziesia) erapetriformis, fertilized with the pollen of 

 Khododendron chamsecistus. This mule has therefore been figured 

 under a generic name which it is not entitled to (see Paxton's ' Flower 

 Garden,' No. 7, Sept. 1850). It is, however, exceedingly beautiful, 

 and flowers abundantly in the open border during the months of May 

 and June, and is one of the few instances we have of a hybrid raised 

 between two distinct genera. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. ' On a Supposed New Species of Rubus. By Fenton J. A. Hort, 

 B.A., Cambridge.' In the commencement of the paper the author 

 remarks : — " At a time when descriptions of brambles, published by 

 botanists whose qualifications have been fully tested and acknow- 

 ledged in other fields, are received with incredulity and even derision, 

 those who possess no such advantages have little right to expect a 

 gentler and more charitable treatment. If, therefore, it were allow- 

 able to be guided wholly by personal consideration, I should not ven- 

 ture to add another species to our already crowded list; but cowardice 

 and mock-modesty are as unjustifiable in science as in anything else." 

 After making some observations on the importance of studying mi- 

 nutely and carefully all the forms and varieties of this difficult genus, 

 the author proceeds to describe a new species, which he calls Rubus 

 imbi'icatus. It belongs to the group possessing subglabrous, eglan- 

 dular, rooting barren stems, and stout leathery leaves, and is closely 

 allied to R. affinis, cordifolius, and incurvatus. The plant flowers 

 early, nearly a month before its true allies. A full description of the 

 species was given, w^ith the characters by which it is distinguished 

 from the others in the same group. 



Dr. Balfour stated that a large collection of British Rubi had been 

 recently sent to the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, from the Cambridge 

 Garden, in order that the changes produced by cultivation might be 

 observed. 



2. ' Notice of Narcissus (Ajax) lobularis. Haw. By John T. Syme, 

 Esq.' Mr. Syme exhibited a plant of this Narcissus in flower, the 



