555 



value of our bulky green crops. The paper was illustrated by an 

 interesting series of specimens, showing the chicory in its various 

 stages of preparation, as a substitute for coffee ; also ale brewed from 

 chicory. Mr. Fulton presented specimens of these to the Museum of 

 Economic Botany. 



2. ' Analysis of the Sabal umbraculifera, as grown in the Botanic 

 Garden ;' by Mr. Allan B. Dick. The following is Mr. Dick's ana- 

 lysis : — Organic matter: lamina, 91.90 ; petiole, 95.00. Inorganic: 

 lamina, 8.10 ; petiole, 5.00. Silica, 37.00 ; sulphuric acid, 11.15 ; 

 lime, 15.90 ; potash, 8.65 ; soda, 2.50 ; chloride of sodium, 8,45 ; 

 phosphoric ascid, 1.70 ; oxide of iron, 1.30 ; oxide of manganese, 

 1.40; magnesia, 4.75; carbonic acid, 0.99; charcoal, 5.95; — total, 

 99.74. 



3. ' On Plants found in the Neighbourhood of Ripon, Yorkshire, 

 in March, 1852 ;' by Mr. James B. Davies. After giving some parti- 

 culars respecting the town of Ripon, Mr. Davies stated that the cro- 

 cus, snowdrop, and laurustine were in flower in the gardens, while 

 Tussilago Farfara and Ranunculus Ficaria were plentiful by the way- 

 sides. The yew was also in flower, as well as a number of Salices. 

 He noticed two trees of the hornbeam {Carpinus Betulus), standing 

 more than a foot apart from each other, which, at the height of five feet, 

 united into one trunk, a branch from one of them being united in a 

 similar manner. Pyrus japonica was observed in flower in a garden at 

 Little Thorp, and the apricot at Ripon. Mercurialis perennis appeared 

 on the 10th of March. The following wild plants were also in flower: 

 — Vinca major and minor, Viola odorata and canina, Adoxa moscha- 

 tellina (first seen on the 18th of March), Glechoma hederacea, Vero- 

 nica hederi folia, Potentilla Fragariastrum (one specimen with a petal 

 among the carpels), Gagea lutea, and Primula vulgaris. At Grantley 

 Lodge, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium ; and at Fountain's, Anemone 

 nemorosa, with Stellaria media and Laraium album. Two miles be- 

 low Ripon, Caltha palustris and Petasites vulgaris were found. Mr. 

 Davies also found Drabaverna, Bellis perennis. Taraxacum ofiicinale, 

 Senecio vulgaris, and Capsella Bursa-pastoris, all in flower. In the 

 gardens Cyuoglossum Omphalodes, Narcissus Pseudo-narcissus, and 

 (sparingly) Primula Auricula. Hottonia palustris was found near the 

 Yare, but not in flower. 



4. ' Report on the State of Vegetation in the Edinburgh Botanic 

 Garden, from the 10th of March till the 8th of April, 1852, as com- 

 pared with the years 1850—1851 ;' by Mr. M'Nab. 



