132 British Association for the Advancement of Science. 



Spalding records several varieties, attention to which is of the 

 greatest importance to the cultivation, since they vary in the 

 character of their staple, in the shape and size of their pods, in 

 the hue of the cotton, and in the duration of the plant. The 

 common indigenous plant of India is the G. herbaceu7n of bota- 

 nists, and differs in appearance from the cottons of the Western 

 world ; besides which there is the G. religiosum, producing the 

 brown cotton extensively grown in China. The former plant is 

 usually cultivated as an annual, but has been successfully treated 

 and grown as a perennial, by the process of pruning down when 

 the cotton is gathered. The produce of this plant is not inferior 

 in fineness, and is superior in point of richness of color, to the 

 best cottons of America. The staple is however short, and by 

 the great neglect hitherto evinced in picking the produce at the 

 proper time, and carelessness in allowing particles of dried leaves 

 or the calyx of the flower to adhere to the wool, it brings a lower 

 price, and is considered an inferior article in the English market, 

 to the New Orleans and Georgian of America, though really su- 

 perior in quality and durability. There is another kind of cotton 

 produced from a species in Africa, which Dr. Royle considers 

 allied to the G. herhaceum of India. 



Mr. W. Dan son made some remarks on the introduction of a 

 species of Auchenia into Britain. Samples and manufactured 

 specimens of Alpaca wool, in imitation of silk, (and without 

 dye,) as black as jet, were exhibited. Mr. D. stated that the ani- 

 mals producing it ought to be propagated in Britain. Importa- 

 tions of the wool have already been made to the extent of one 

 million pounds, and are likely to increase. There are five spe- 

 cies of Llamas, of which, the Alpaca has fine wool, 6 to 12 inches 

 long ; the Llamas^ hair which is very coarse, and the Vicuna, 

 has a very short fine wool, more of the beaver cast. The wool 

 of these animals would not enter into competition with the 

 wool of sheep, but rather with silk. It is capable of the finest 

 manufacture, and is especially suited to the fine shawl trade. 

 -The yarns spun from it are already sent to France in large quan- 

 tities, at from 6s. to 12s. ^d. per pound, the piece of the raw Al- 

 paca wool being now 2s. and 2s. 6c?. per pound. 



Prof. Jones made some observations on an apparatus for observ- 

 ing fish, (especially of the family Salmonidos,) in confinement. 

 He had prosecuted numerous inquiries in Scotland with reference 



