625 



the aid of gentle heat they soon commenced to vegetate. When suf- 

 ficiently matured one of the plants was placed in the open-air medical 

 department, as above directed ; at the same time some seedlings were 

 planted in a glazed frame, in veiy rich soil, composed of decayed ma- 

 nure, leaf-mould, and loam, and kept quite close for one month. In 

 this situation they grevt^ freely, extending their shoots full eight feet 

 from the roots ; they produced innumerable flower-buds, but not 

 more than two dozen flowers fully expanded. Like those in the open 

 air, they were checked by frost. After the stems had entirely decayed 

 a slight coating of horse-manure was placed over the roots, which were 

 afterwards protected with a glazed frame, and are now (March 10, 

 1852) beginning to grow. Like the Exogonium, it can be propagated 

 by cuttings of the roots, or by seed, which ripens freely in the more 

 genial climate of England." 



2. ' On the Rate of Growth of the Bamboo [Bamhusa artmdinacea) 

 in the Botanic Garden ;' by Mr. M'Nab. Mr. M'Nab laid before the 

 meeting a statement of the growth of a bamboo-stem in the palm-house 

 of the Royal Botanic Garden, from the time it first showed itself above 

 the soil (July 15, 1851) till the 31st of August, being a period of the 

 year when artificial heat was almost entirely withheld. Each day's 

 observation was made at six a.m. The entire growth in the forty- 

 seven days was 187 inches, or about 4^ inches per day. 



3. ' Notice of a case of Extensive Poisoning by one of the Cape 

 Iridaceae ;' by Allan Dalyell, F.R.S.E., late Lieutenant of the 27lh 

 Regiment ; communicated by Dr. Douglas Maclagan. The author 

 observes : — " The perusal of an interesting paper on Colchicum, by 

 Dr. J. M. Maclagan, in the ' Monthly Medical Journal ' for November 

 last, reminded me that I possessed the sketch of a Cape plant, with 

 whose poisonous properties I accidentally became acquainted. Dur- 

 ing 1841 (I write from memory), when Lieutenant of the light com- 

 pany of the 27th, forming part of the left division of demonstrative 

 force ordered to the Orange River, on one occasion, after a march, 

 arduous from its length, but especially distressing from excessive 

 drought, a halt was made on the banks of the Little Fish River, near 

 the village of Somerset. That evening eighty of the baggage and 

 artillery oxen were reported dead, and next morning forty more were 

 found poisoned, having eaten the flowers of a small Iris-like plant, 

 which grew in abundance around the encampment. During the fol- 

 lowing year, whilst in command of the ' Tarka,' I had many opportu- 

 nities of renewing acquaintance with the same plant, not, however, 

 under similar circumstances; it is only when oxen are so far exhausted 



