TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION K, 595 
charcoal exposed to the influence of the bacterium showed a rise of temperature 
above that of the control. 
The results obtained from the charcoal were in complete accordance with a 
parallel series of experiments in which lampblack—treated for fourteen days with 
aqua regia—was used as the source of carbon, 
In another set of experiments ordinary coal was subjected to the action of the 
same bacterium, and found to undergo oxidation. 
Incidentally the inquiry throws some light upon the formation and decomposi- 
tion of coal. It is clear that the ordinary process of decay, suspended through 
untold years, is resumed by the agency of bacteria or other saprophytic organisms 
when the necessary conditions of air, temperature and moisture are present, 
5. Note on the Dissipation of Absorbed Solar Radiation by Xerophilous 
Plants. By Horace T. Brown, LL.D., F.RS. 
6. Some Problems of Heredity. By R. P. Grecory, MA. 
In view of the results obtained by Darwin, Scott, Hildebrand, and others, it 
seemed likely that the characters of long and short style, well known in the 
Primulacez, might have a Mendelian inheritance. Experiments carried out by 
Mr, Bateson and the writer have shown that this is the ease in Primula Sinensis, 
the short style being dominant, the long recessive. The inheritance is usually of 
the simplest Mendelian type. Some irregularities occurred, which, in view of the 
general trend of the evidence, we incline to regard as fortuitous. In addition to 
those cases, however, which can be so regarded, certain quite anomalous results 
occurred in the families raised from one individual short-styled plant. This plant 
and one of its offspring used as the ¢ parent produced 184 short-styled and only 
3 long-styled plants. The same plants used as 9 parents produced 54 short-styled 
and 32 long-styled plants. 
In addition to the above experiments, an attempt was made to investigate 
certain possibilities respecting the consequences of legitimate and illegitimate 
unions. Darwin has shown that in Primula more seeds are set when plants with’ 
dissimilar styles are united (legitimately) than in illegitimate unions. In the latter 
case it became apparent that some egg-cells are capable of illegitimate fertilisation, 
while others are not. This fact suggested that there might be a differentiation 
among the ovules. To test this possibility we made a large number of trials, 
pollinating some flowers legitimately, some illegitimately, others with both kinds 
of pollen. We anticipated that, if differentiation exists, it would be revealed by 
the production of a maximum number of seeds by the flowers which had under- 
gone double pollination. 
This series of experiments has, however, led to no definite conclusion. They 
were carried on through two seasons, and a very large number of pollinations 
were made, both on P. Sinensis and P. acaulis, but the resulting figures are so 
discrepant that no answer can be given to the question proposed. 
7. Infection Phenomena in various Uredinec. 
By 1. B. Pots Evans, B.A., B.Sc. 
Infection by means of uredospores in the different species of Puccinia is of a 
very definite nature in each species. 
It involves two distinct steps: (a) inoculation, which includes the swelling up of 
the tip of the germ tube over the external aperture of the stoma to form an 
appressorium, from which a narrow branch is given off, which passes down 
throngh the stoma and swells out into a definitely shaped vesicle, the sudstomatal 
vesicle; and (6) infection, which entails the growth out of this substomatal 
QQ2 
