146 Transactions. 
Another characteristic is the tendency of the flowers to become 
a white or pale colour, and often of very large size, while they 
are usually few in number. The pale colour is, of course, due to 
the absence of strong sunlight, and is again an instance of the 
peculiar way in which Nature works, for this colour is most 
conspicuous in the dimness, and is the best the plant could 
possibly choose. The same may be said of the large size. It is 
certainly true that many trees have small inconspicuous flowers, 
but these are fertilised by the small sorts of insects that thrive 
everywhere, and are unaffected by climate. I mean that some 
members at least are found everywhere. There is, however, an 
absence of the brilliant colours and dense spikes which are found 
in dry, sunny places, where bees, hymenoptera of all kinds, and 
hoverflies are found. These latter insects are remarkably absent 
In this forest, probably because the chill, moist atmosphere is bad 
for their wings. The most extraordinary feature of all is that in 
so many respects Nature by climate produces exactly that form 
best suited to thrive in that particular climate, and in almost all 
cases we cannot trace any connection between the two. I mean 
the fact that a dim, humid climate produces a drawn out stem, 
has no connection (visible) with the fact that a climbing plant 
is well fitted to thrive in such a place. 
2. Food Plants—The Cereals. 
By Mr Perer Gray. 
The principal grasses cultivated as bread plants by the more 
civilized races of mankind are four in number—wheat, barley, 
rye, and oats. Of these the wheat plant, Tratecum satewwm, is 
the most important. There are three species, or more properly 
perhaps sub-species, of Z'riticum grown in Hurope—/'ritecwm 
sativum, turgidum, and durum. The first includes nearly all the 
cultivated varieties grown in this country, over a hundred red and 
about half that number of white wheats, so named from the 
colour of the grain. The turgid wheats have a bearded spike, 
but being best adapted for earlier climates, they have not been 
much cultivated in Britain. The ears of the third division are 
also bearded, and usually very short in proportion to their 
breadth, with a remarkably hard grain. They are grown chiefly 
