143 Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



June 13, 1850. — Professor Fleming, President, in the Chair. 



A new Part of the Society's Transactions was laid on the table, and 

 will shortly be ready for distribution to Subscribers. 



Dr. Balfour announced that the Commissioners of Woods and 

 Forests had agreed to form a Botanical Museum in the Garden, and 

 he called upon all who were interested in the cause to contribute 

 liberally, for the public benefit, specimens of woods, fruits, a,nd vege- 

 table products, articles of vegetable manufacture, fossil plants, draw- 

 ings, &c. 



Mr. Priestley read a paper on some British Carices, in which he 

 described C. montana, C. intermedia and its varieties, C. (Ederi, C. 

 Soenninffhausiana, and C. Persoonii. 



The following papers were read : — 



1 . In abstract, a paper by Dr. Hoffmann, Professor-Extraordinary 

 of Botany in the University of Giessen, on the roots of Umbelliferous 

 plants, in which he describes the roots of Baucus Carota, both in 

 the wild and cultivated state, alluding to their structure and com- 

 position in different stages of growth. 



2. Mr. M'Nab, " On the effects of Lightning on Trees." He re- 

 xnarked : — " A few days ago I accidentally heard of a tree which had 

 been struck by lightning on the 5th inst. (June 1850) at Pitferrane, 

 Fifeshire, and being anxious to ascertain the species, I wrote for a 

 small branch, with any history which could be given regarding it. I 

 have just received the leaves shown, which prove it to be the Ulmus 

 montana. My object in bringing the notice before the Society, is to 

 ascertain from its members any varieties of trees known to them as 

 having been struck by the electric fluid. About this time last year 

 a very large oak on the grounds of John Wauchope, Esq. of Edmon- 

 ston, was shattered to pieces ; and a few years previously a laburnum 

 standing close to the oak was likewise destroyed. While on a tour 

 over a portion of the American continent some years ago, I had 

 several opportunities of observing gigantic trees torn to pieces by 

 electric influence. In every instance observed they were oaks. 

 During a thunder-storm I found the workmen (chiefly in Canada) 

 resorting to the beech-trees for protection, from an idea that they 

 were not liable to be struck by lightning ; certain it is that 1 saw 

 none, notwithstanding the prevalence of large-sized beeches in many 

 districts. The elm above alluded to at Pitferrane had an iron fence 

 standing close to it, which was supposed by the inhabitants to have 

 had some influence in attracting the fluid. The above observations 

 are thrown out, in the hope of ascertaining if there be anything in the 

 composition of one species of tree rendering it less liable than another 

 to electric influence." 



Mr. Brand stated that he knew a marked instance of a beech in 

 Aberdeenshire having been struck by lightning. The horse-chestnut 

 and ash were likewise mentioned by other members as havmg been 

 struck. 



Dr. Balfour made some remarks on Cleghornia, a new genus of 

 Apocynacese, named by Dr. Wight, in honour of Dr. Hugh Cleghorn. 



