997 



increased knowledge of the chemical conslitutiou and physiological 

 properties of De Candolle's Solanaceae. 



A paper by Mr. M'Nab, intituled ' Register of the Flowering of cer- 

 tain Hardy Plants in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, compared 

 with the flowering of the same species, and in most cases the iden- 

 tical plants, reported on during the three previous years,' was read. 



A paper by Mr. P. S. Robertson, * On the Effects of the past Win- 

 ter on the Coniferae and other Plants, in the open ground, in Golden 

 Acres Nursery,' was read. 



Mr. P. S. Robertson, of Golden Acres, was elected an Associate. 



Thursday^ May 12, 1853. — Professor Balfour, President, in the 

 chair. 



Donations of British plants for the Society's herbarium were 

 announced from Mr. More, of Trinity College, Cambridge, and Mr. 

 Tate, of Edinburgh. 



Professor Balfour exhibited the following donations to the Museum 

 of Economic Botany at the Garden : — From Messrs. P. Lawson & 

 Son, nurserymen : Six cones, from Mexico, supposed to be Pinus 

 filifolia. From Miss Gibson-Craig, Riccarton : Specimen of the bulb 

 of a wild hyacinth, which had been perforated while growing by the 

 creeping stem of Triticum repens. From Mr. William Gorrie, Pres- 

 ton : Sections of the stems of Prunus Padus and Quercus sessiliflora. 



The President noticed, that a letter had been received from Mr. 

 John Jeffray, the botanical collector in Oregon, dated March 14, 1853, 

 in which he announced the despatch of various boxes, up to No. 9, 

 by different routes. He was on his way to the Rocky Mountains. 



Miss Gibson-Craig exhibited remarkable specimens of Lastrea Filix- 

 mas and Athyrium Filix-foemina, in which the lateral and terminal 

 pinnae were divided at their exti*emities into numerous, small, pinna- 

 tifid frondlets, giving a peculiarly tufted and crisped appearance to 

 the margin of the fronds, which were of the ordinary size. 



Dr. Mackay exhibited a specimen of Ceanothus rigidus, in flower, 

 from the open wall of Trinity-College Garden, Dublin, where it was 

 blooming freely on the 3rd of May. 



The Rev. G. E. Smith exhibited specimens of Centaurea Jacea, 

 from near Killin. 



Dr. Balfour exhibited specimens of several species of sea-weeds 

 from Dr. Curdie. 



VOL. IV. 6 M 



