784 es REPORT—1904. 
months. In the mechanical ring the phloem in many cases becomes separated 
from its accompanying xylem to such an extent that the phloem appears like 
phloem-islands. 
The youngest roots exhibit a diarch structure with protoxylem in the centre. 
On the face of each group of xylem elements is a layer of cambium, and outside 
this a strand of phloem. In the older part of the root this becomes split up 
into four or more distinct bundles. At a considerable distance from these central 
strands of vascular tissue a meristem ring appears, and bundles are formed by it, 
as in the stem, but more regularly. : 
The origin of the secondary roots appears to be in the region of the proto- 
xylem of the central strands, and they are always strongly connected from the 
first with it. Where secondary roots appear after the formation of the meristem 
ving, they are in all cases connected with the central strands and break through 
the meristem ring in their passage to the exterior. 
14. Report on the Respiration of Plants.—See Reports, p. 344. 
15. Report on Botanical Photographs.—See Reports, p. 345 
16. Report on Experimental Studies in the Physvology of Heredity. 
See Reports, p. 346. 
i7. Report on a Monograph of the Genus Potamogeton. 
Sus-SEcTION OF AGRICULTURE. 
CHAIRMAN—W. Somprvitie, M.A,, D.Sc., D.déc. 
The Chairman delivered the following Address :— 
Tun audience that I have to-day the honour of addressing may be assumed to 
consist of a considerable proportion of the members of the British Association, 
and some others, who are primarily interested in, and have themselves made 
appreciable contributions to, the progress of Agricultural Science. I may, there- 
fore, take the opportunity of congratulating you on this fresh evidence of progress 
in the subject that you have at heart, and of offering to the British Association 
our thanks for the encouragement and stimulus which are associated with the 
formation of an Agricultural Sub-Section. Perhaps I rightly interpret your feelings 
when I say that for the present we are satisfied with the position attained by our 
subject, but that we trust to see this and other meetings demonstrating that 
Agricultural Science is not unworthy of further advancement. 
In view of the large amount of work that lies before us during the next few 
days, I do not propose to intervene for long between you and the contributions to 
original research which we have been promised. The scope of my remarks will 
be limited no less by time than by the fact that it would be presumptuous in me 
to attempt to traverse the whole field of Agricultural Science, including, as it 
may be held to do, the no small compartments of Horticulture and Forestry. 
What I propose to do, therefore, is to confine myself to touching upon a few of 
the subjects that have recently been receiving attention at the hands of scientific 
investigators, especially abroad. I have purposely avoided discussing English 
work, partly because it may be assumed that we are all familiar with it, and 
partly because, where friends are concerned, selection is difficult. 
Although Agriculture has only now been elevated to a position of semi- 
