Dr. H. A. Nicholson on the Distrihution of Graptolites. 347 



brought either to Paris or Kew ; and I left them in the care of 

 my good friend Mr. Calvert, H.B.M. Vice-Consul at Alexandria, 

 well known as an excellent botanist, who gave them to that 

 excellent horticulturist Herr Winterstein to keep during the 

 winter. Unfortunately these trees did not survive ; but, thanks 

 to M. Adrien, of Isle Praslin, and Mr. Ward, I hope in spring 

 next, when the weather becomes a little warm, to receive some 

 young plants which have been germinated in tubs, and which 

 will thus not have had the risk of being transplanted. These 

 I shall hand over, when they arrive, to the gardens of Kew 

 and Dublin J and I have no doubt they will be well taken 

 care of. 



In some of the volumes of Curtis's ^ Botanical Magazine,' 

 excellent hints on the cultivation of plants will be found, given 

 by Mr. John Smith of Kew. It would be well for our plant- 

 growers if they would oftener read through and digest these 

 articles. In treating of the cultivation of Lagetta lintearta^ 

 Lam. (tab. 4502), he remarks on the hints given to him for his 

 guidance in growing this plant by Mr. Wilson (who found the 

 plants growing on their native soil) : — '' We are always most 

 desirous to pay attention to information as regards the native 

 habitats of plants ; but in cases like the present we have found 

 that when too strictly adhered to, successful cultivation does not 

 always follow. In our experience we have never found any plant 

 thrive by retaining it in its native soil. If we could only imi- 

 tate all the various influences of climate that modify and control 

 the growth of plants in their native localities, then we might 

 do so." These very correct remarks it will be well to bear 

 in mind when the time comes, as I hope it will soon, for us 

 to cultivate this fine palm in our stoves ; for most certainly 

 the Lodoicea will not grow under cultivation in the Seychelles 

 Islands, when planted in rocky, stony ground such as the trees 

 are found to flourish in in their native forests of Praslin and 

 Ciu-ieuse, and yet there there is no necessity to imitate the 

 climate : how much less, therefore, will it grow with us, if 

 subject to the same treatment, when with us it would seem 

 practically impossible to imitate the alternate wet and dry 

 seasons of the tropics ! 



XLI. — Notes on the Distrihution in Time of the various British 

 Species and Genera of Graptolites. By Heney Alleyne 

 Nicholson, D.Sc, M.B., F.G.S. 



Speaking generally, the Graptolitidae may be said to be cha- 

 racteristic fossils of the Silurian period ; and the generaliza- 



