35 4 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



the granules eventually aggregate into eight cytohlasts. Round these 

 cytoblasts delicate rounded cells are formed which take at length an 

 ovoid form, and we may generally easily perceive within them two 

 free nuclei. Round these nuclei two secondary cells are developed, 

 which gradually increase in size, so as nearly to fill up the parent 

 cell. They become filled with densely granular chlorophyll, and 

 finally the two cells conjugate ; that is to say, the walls of both cells 

 give way, and the granular contents amalgamate, nearly filling up the 

 parent cell. The result of this conjugation is a large compound 

 granular cell. "Watching its further progress, we observe the granules 

 becoming more and more distinct and defined, till at length the mother ■ 

 cell bursts, and the contained cellules escape — at the same time the 

 ascus gives way, and the cellules are dispersed as spores, to originate 

 new individuals." 



Dr. Balfour stated that Mr. Allan B. Dick (assistant to Dr. George 

 Wilson) had analysed the leaf of Livistona chinensis, Sabal umbra- 

 culifera, Chamcerops humilis and arborescens, grown in the Palm 

 House of the Royal Botanic Garden, and had detected a very notable 

 quantity of manganese in their composition. 



Mr. M'Nab made a report on the state of vegetation in the Edin- 

 burgh Botanic Garden, from 8th January till 11th February. The 

 communication embraced a register of the periods of flowering of 

 plants in the open air, as compared with the flowering of the same 

 species, and as nearly as possible the same individual plants, during 

 the two previous years. 



Mr. M'Nab also laid before the meeting a report of temperatures 

 observed at the Botanic Garden from 8th January to 1 1 th February 

 1852. 



Mr. M'Nab read the following extract from a letter from Dr. G. 

 M'Nab, Kingston, Jamaica, dated 13th January, 1852: — "With 

 reference to your inquiries regarding the paper made from the Spanish 

 Dagger Plant, I have to state that the Spanish Dagger is the Yucca 

 aloefolia, a plant very common in this country for making fences ; 

 the fine paper-looking substance is obtained by breaking the lower part 

 of the leaf along the midrib, and then pulling each half gently from 

 the cuticle which covers the upper surface. It is most easily got 

 from the young leaves, as in them only it separates freely ; it can 

 also be got equally well from the young leaves of the Yucca gloriosa. 

 It is an excellent article for making artificial flowers, as it takes 

 colours freely." 



Mr. M'Nab exhibited specimens of the paper which he had prepared 

 from the upper surface of the young leaves of Yucca gloriosa growing 

 in the Botanic Garden, and he showed the method by which it was 

 prepared. 



Mr. William Keddie stated that he had found a vast profusion of 

 Batrachospermum vagum, in the pools and rivulets immediately under 

 the upper part of Goatfell, in Arran — about the place where the 

 granite comes into contact with the schistose rocks. The plant is 

 not commonly found in Scotland. 



