HAMILTON SCIENTIFIC ASSOCIATION 109 



Cotton-wool, brought from the south to the mills at 

 Dundas, was responsible for the introduction of Xanthium 

 Spinosum into that town. Years ago it was running up both 

 sides of the main street between the curb stones and was 

 travelling out the Governor's Road. 



There are many other agencies at work distributing the 

 flora of the earth's surface and changing the character of its 

 productions, and in many cases the new-comers driving out 

 the natives. 



I cannot do better in closing these rather scattered notes 

 than to quote the words of an eminent scientist when closing 

 a discourse on kindred subjects to those engaging our 

 attention this evening, he says : 



"We aspire in vain to assign limits to the works of 

 Creation in space, whether we examine the starry heavens or 

 that world of minute animalculae which is revealed to us by 

 the microscope We are prepared, therefore, to find that in 

 time also the confines of the universe lie beyond the reach of 

 mortal ken. But in whatever direction we pursue our 

 researches, whether in time or space, we discover everywhere 

 the clear proofs of a Creative intelligence and of His forsight, 

 wisdom and power. 



As men of science, we learn that it is not only the 

 present condition of the globe which has been suited to the 

 accommodation of myriads of living creatures, but that many 

 former states also have been adapted to the organization and 

 habits of prior races of being. The disposition of the seas, 

 continents and islands, and the climates have varied ; the 

 species likewise have been changed, and yet they have all 

 been so modelled on types analogous to those of existing 

 plants and animals, as to indicate throughout a perfect 

 harmony of design and unity of purpose. To assume that 

 the evidence of the beginning or end of so vast a scheme lies 

 within the reach of our philosophical inquiries, or even of our 

 speculations, appears to be inconsistent with a just estimate 

 of the relations which subsist between the finite powers of 

 man and the attributes of an Infinite and Eternal Being." 



