747 



and harcUy at all Irom the continent of Northern India, where it is a 

 most important winter crop. 



There are three collections which appear prominently interesting 

 in this division, and require a particular notice ; they are those of 

 Messrs. Lawson, Mr. Mauud, and Mr. H. Raynbird. 



Messrs. Lawson's collection exhibits the ear, grain, &c., &c., of 

 every variety of cereal, and also models of all the roots which it has 

 been found practicable to cultivate in Scotland ; the specimens are 

 beautiful, and the arrangement scientific and excellent. No conside- 

 ration of cost or trouble has been allowed to interfere with providing 

 all that is necessary to render this collection a true and complete illus- 

 tration of the vegetable products of Scotland. A Council Medal has 

 been awarded to Messrs. Lawson " for their admirably-displayed, very 

 complete, instructive, and scientifically-arranged collection of the ali- 

 mentary products of Scotland." 



Mr. B. Maund's and Mr. H. Raynbird's collection of hybrid cere- 

 alia are of great interest from the importance of the process in other 

 departments of the vegetable kingdom, and the known difficulty of 

 hybridizing the cerealia in particular. This arises from the pains 

 required to extract unexpanded anthers from one parent, and to 

 replace them with the pollen of another; preventing at the same time 

 the stigmas to be fertilized from receiving any other pollen than that 

 artificially applied, and guarding them afterwards from the attacks of 

 birds, and a variety of disturbing operations. The result appears, in 

 most cases, to be an offspring stronger than either parent. Cone 

 wheat has been principally experimented with by Mr. Maund, and it 

 contains much gluten, but its extended culture has been discontinued 

 by farmers, owing to a preference for wheats from which a whiter 

 bread may be made. Mr. Maund's object is, by crossing this cone 

 wheat to obtain an offspring equally productive, but with more starch 

 in the grain. A Prize Medal has been awarded for the series exhi- 

 bited. Ml*. H. Raynbird exhibits a similar series, for which a Prize 

 Medal is also awarded. This gentleman commenced his experi- 

 ments in 1846, with two wheats of very opposite character, the 

 " Hopetoun," a white wheat of long ear and straw, and fine grain, and 

 the " Piper's thick-set," a coarse red wheat, with thick clustered ear 

 and stiff straw, very productive, but apt to mildew. A few shrivelled 

 ears were first produced. These were planted, and the young plants 

 divided. The produce was copious of all intermediate varieties, some 

 so very like their parents as to be rejected. Picked grains being 



