Linnean Society. 4(il 



or Italian Figs, of early vineyard Peaches, and of Dutch Coillins, from Mr. 

 George Wain, gardener to William Ainory, Esq. Fruits of white Marseilles, 

 Figs, of Grosse Mignonne Peaches, and of Moor Park Apricots, from Mr. Thomas 

 Moffatt, C.M.H.S., gardener to the Viscount Sydney, F.H.S. Fruit of a white 

 fleshed Melon, raised from Dutch seed, from Thomas Charles Higgins, Esq. 

 F.H.S. Fruits of black Hamburgh Grapes, and an Enville Queen Pine Apple, 

 from Mr. Charles Harrison, F.H.S., gardener to Lord Wharncliffe, F.H.S. 

 Specimens of nine sorts of Grapes, from Charles Holford, Esq. F.H.S. 



Also from the Garden of the Society. — Plants of a new species of Gloxinia, of 

 Catasetum tridentatum, of Cymbidium xiphiifolium, and of a new species of 

 Mimulus from Chili, brought home by Mr. James M'Rae. Flowers of Coreopsis 

 tinctoria, of Asclepias tuberosa, of varieties of China Asters, of varieties of single 

 and double French Marygolds, and of thirty-seven sorts of double Dahlias. Fruits 

 of white Ischia Figs, of red Magdalen Peaches, of a Daree Persian Melon ; of 

 Enville, Ripley, Queen, and Lemon Queen Pine Apples. 



The following Articles were received in the interval since the last meeting of the 

 Society on the 1st of August. — Sixteen berries of the roaring Lion Gooseberry, all 

 gathered from one branch. The aggregate weight of which was, one pound 

 fifteen drachms, averaging nineteen pennyweights each berry, from Mr. John 

 Fardow, of Woodstock. Specimens of a Bigarreau Cherry, differing from the 

 common Bigarreau, from William Philip Honywood, Esq. M. P. F.H.S. A 

 branch and fruit of the white Dutch Currant, the bunches and berries very large, 

 from John Dawson Downes, Esq. F.H.S. A Hybrid Melon, raised between 

 the Egyptian green fleshed and a red fleshed variety, from Captain Peter Rainier, 

 R.N. F.H.S. A handsome red fleshed Melon, grown on a plant trained upon a 

 rafter like a vine, specimens of an early perfumed Pear, specimens of the early 

 Bergamotte Pear, and specimens of the Spring Grove Codlin, from Mr. John 

 Haythorn, gardener to Lord Middleton, F.H.S. Specimens of a Plum, which 

 is believed to be the Imperial Violet, from Mr. Whitley, of Fulham. A hand- 

 some Fruit of the Otaheite Pine Apple, from Mr. William M'Murtrie, C.M.H.S. 

 gardener to the Viscount Anson, F.H.S. 



The plan of the Arboretum, promised in our last Number, want of room obliges 

 us to defer. The garden has presented nothing of particular interest this summer, 

 the blossoms on most of the fruit trees having been destroyed by the frosts of May, 

 and the strawberries and gooseberries having suffered severely from the drought. 

 The roses flowered freely ; the dahlias are now in bloom, and there will be a fine 

 show of chrysanthemums in the course of next month. 



Art. IV^ Linnean Society. 



June 6. There was read a paper by the Secretary, J. E. Bicheno, Esq. on 

 Methods and Systems of Natural History, wherein the author endeavoured to 

 shew the different uses to which they should respectively be applied. The chief 

 object of the artificial system, he insisted, was to analyse ; that of the natural 

 system to synthesise. The business of the one is to enable us to ascertain par- 

 ticulars ; and of the other, to combine those particulars, so as to assist the mind 

 to reason generally. Systematists in general, he contended, have confounded 

 these two distinct objects, and have attempted to employ their natural system 

 equally with a view to determine species as to combine them ; while their chief 

 object should have been to find resemblances and common characters. The state 

 of science seems to require that the work of combination should be more studied, 

 and that, instead of breaking down the productions of nature into the smallest 

 particulars, we should act more philosophically if we endeavoured to discover the 

 common characters of her groups and to unite species, and thus furnish the or- 

 dinary reader with materials of knowledge, relieve his memory, and abridge his 

 iibour. This seems to be the more necessary in the present day, when the num- 

 ber of birds amounts to 5000, of insects to 100,000, and of flowering plants to 

 50,000. (Taylor's Phil. Mag. July.) 



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