BALLOON COMMITTEE. 43 



nificant one. Still this affords another curious instance of the effects of cul- 

 tivation upon this genus, which seem to tell us that we must not be too posi- 

 tive in the specific distinctions adopted by authors for these plants. 



The effects of the season of 1860 have been remarkable in several particu- 

 lars ; we would, however, only refer to a few plants under experiment. 



Dioscorea Batatas, Potato Yam. — Smaller than ever; cannot be at all de- 

 pended upon, even to make its seed in the Cotteswold district. 



The Cabbage tribe sadly cut up with us, but the Brussels Sprout was found 

 to be the most hardy of any kind. 



Gyneria argentea. — Killed entirely, both in the College and our own 

 private garden. 



Sorghum saccharatum. — Scarcely attained 6 inches in height against 7 feet 

 of the previous year. 



Zea Mays. — Indian corn not 2 feet high, and died as soon as flowered. 



Roots of all kinds smaller than usual. 



Potatoes small in quantity and much diseased. 



Fruits have not attained their usual size, have not ripened, and are 

 flavourless. 



Forest trees have made little wood, and their new shoots are not ripened. 



Garden flowers made little growth, shabby both in leaves and flowers. 



Plants perfected for less seed than usual. 

 Cirencester, November, 1860. 



Report of the Committee requested "to report to the Meeting at 

 Oxford as to the Scientific Objects to be sought for by continuing 

 the Balloon Ascents formerly undertaken to great Altitudes." By 

 theTLev. Robert Walker, M.A., F.R.S., Reader in Experimental 

 Philosophy in the University of Oxford. 



In presenting their Report, the Committee would observe at the outset that 

 the main object for which the former Committee (in 1858) was appointed 

 remains yet unaccomplished ; and this is the verification of that remarkable 

 result derived from the observations of Mr. Welsh in his four ascents in 

 1852, viz. " the sudden arrest of the decrease in the temperature of the 

 atmosphere at an elevation varying on different days, and this to such an 

 extent, that for the space of 2000 or 3000 feet the temperature remains nearly 

 constant or even increases to a small amount." It is obviously important to 

 determine whether this arrest represents the normal condition of the atmo- 

 sphere at all seasons of the year. The ascents of Mr. Welsh were made 

 between the 17th of August and the 10th of November. The question 

 remains, whether this " arrest " would be observed before the summer solstice 

 as well as after, and whether there were any variations at different seasons. 

 The changes in the temperature of the dew-point, consequent upon this in- 

 terruption in the law of decrease of temperature, would extend our know- 

 ledge of the condition of the atmosphere at such altitudes. To accomplish 

 thus much would not require ascents to very great altitudes, although there 

 are many objects to be attained by ascending as high as possible. The 

 liberal offers that have been made by Mr. Coxwell and Mr. Langley, of New- 

 castle, would enable observations to be made at a very moderate cost, and 

 Mr. Langley appears fully competent to accomplish the task. There are 

 also many other observations which may be made in balloon ascents which 



