12 British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



in no other way be introduced into this country. The paper 

 commenced, "Consider the hhes hoio they grow." The atten- 

 tion of the author was first directed to this point by accident. 

 He had placed under an inverted jar a chrysahs, and on looking 

 at it some time after, he found a fern and a blade or two of grass 

 had grown under the jar, the sides of which appeared to be cov- 

 ered with moisture. Taking the hint, he introduced some plants 

 of Hymenophyllum under a jar, which grew and flourished in 

 this situation. The Messrs. Loddige then enabled him to per- 

 form some experiments on a larger scale. The plants were en- 

 closed in glass cases, or small green-houses, made tight with paint 

 and putty, but, of course, not hermetically sealed, and were wa- 

 tered once in five or six weeks. From his experiments, the au- 

 thor came to the following conclusions : — First, that confining the 

 air secured a mere equable temperature for plants, as its expan- 

 sion and contraction by change of external temperature, by its re- 

 lation to heat in those states, prevented any great or sudden change. 

 This was remarkably exemplified in some plants that were brought 

 from India, which were in the course of three months success- 

 ively exposed to 20°, 120°, and 40° of Fahrenheit. The enclo- 

 sed plants were very frequently found surrounded by a tempera- 

 tuTe higher than the external atmosphere. Secondly, that vascu- 

 lar plants required to be grown in a greater quantity of air than 

 cellular. Thirdly, that light must be freely admitted. Fom'thly, 

 that the enclosed air must be kept humid. This can be done by 

 occasional watering, provided any means of escape for the water 

 is allowed, but is not necessary where the water has no means of 

 escape. Besides the advantage of enabling us to bring plants 

 from abroad, it would also furnish to the physiological botanist 

 the means of observing those operations of nature in his study, 

 for which, before, he had been obliged to resort to the forest and 

 the plain. As, an instance, the author had been enabled to observe 

 the rapid growth of a Phallus foetidus, by merely devoting to it 

 a few hours of the night. The writer concluded by suggesting 

 that this mode of preserving tropical productions might be ex- 

 tended from the vegetable to the animal kingdom. 



Prof. Lindley also read a letter from the Messrs. Loddige to 

 Mr. Ward, stating that in every case in which his instructions 

 had been attended to, foreign plants had arrived in a state of 

 safety. 



