'270 Report of Devon and Cornwall Bot. and Hort. Soc. 



2'5°; and red, 7*5°, above the mean temperature of the substances employed 

 for the formation of the different colours. 



" I shall now give the temperature of various flowers, ascertained by a very 

 delicate and sensitive thermometer, being the result of experiments made by 

 me during the years 1822 and 1823. On a stage in the shade, the Richards 

 aethiopica was 55° Fahr.; the A'osa odorata, pale blush, 56°; and Amaryllis 

 Johnsoni 57 . When the air was 54 - 5° Fahr., the Kerria japonica flore pleno 

 indicated 56°, and the double red anemone 57'5°. These exhibitions prove a 

 temperature peculiar to each individual colour. From a numerous list of 

 experiments I shall select a few, in the order of the prismatic series : — 



While Flowers 

 Air. 

 Sept. 9. 1822, at 6| P. M. 53-5 c 



60- 

 May 21. 1823 - . 58"5 

 May 31., noon - - 81 



July 2*., 5 p.m. 



Daisy - 52-5° 



Bramble - 59-5 



Pond-weed 57'5 



Narcissus 80"5 



M C Semidouble >,-,.,- 

 66 I campanula j 675 



May 21. 1823 

 May 30. 

 May 31. 

 July 24. 



Blue Floiuers. 

 Air. 

 . 54-0° Bluebell - 55-0° 



- 70-5 Blue iris - 71 '5 



- 75 Gentianella 77 



- 63"5 Bee larkspur 67 



(sunshine.) 



May 26. 



Yellow Flowers. 



Air. 



f Leontodon f 

 60° < T'araxacum V64° sunshine 



t (Dandelion) J 

 63 do. 68 



70-5 do. 73 



70-5 Goldenbalir?]73 



r Yellow- •} 

 82 1 horned J- 85 



t poppy J 

 Ju, y2 4. 5p.m. 57-5 [^ r yel-] 61 



At noon 



do. 

 do. 

 do. 



do. 

 do. 



May 31., noon 81° 



71 



73 

 Julv 24. 54 



Red Flowers. 



Air. 



Double red ? 

 pasony 5 

 Adbnis au- 7 70 

 tumnalis J 

 do. 77 



Rose - -"J 58 

 Lychnis 

 chalcedii- )• 



59 



nica (scar- I 

 is) J 



89° sunshine. 



sun, clouds 

 sun, bright 



Us 



.let 13'chnis) J 61 



^ to 



" White flowers do not differ materially in the heat evolved from them 

 from the ambient air, either in sunshine or shade; and it is probable that 

 they decompose less atmospheric air than flowers of other colours. The tem- 

 perature of flowers is always higher than that of the surrounding air during 

 sunshine, white flowers, perhaps, excepted. It is quite remarkable to notice 

 the effect produced on them by even a cloud passing over the solar disc. In 

 such circumstances, while the air was 71°, the flower of the Adonis was only 

 72° ; but on the returning gleam, the temperature rose 4°. The comparison 

 between the air and flower was always made under similar circumstances." 



From a detail of experiments made by Theodore Saussure, it appears 

 evident that the inflorescence is more destructive of oxygen than the leaves. 

 A beautiful reason is assigned for the sleep of plants, for the shutting of the 

 corolla at night to preserve the parts of fructification from the cooling effects 

 of radiation to a nocturnal sky, and for the similarity of colour that exists in 

 flowers found in similar elevations and latitudes ; but for these we must refer 

 the reader to the work itself, as well as for a mass of other interesting facts. 

 Among these we may notice a dissection of the leaf, and an analysis of the 

 fluid contained in the pitcher of the iVepenthes distillatoria, which throw much 

 light upon the circulation of the sap ; and also an able exposure of some 

 modern speculations respecting life and motion, which the author calls " the 

 most wild and visionary fancies that ever were promulgated." — Scientice et 

 Justitite Aviator. King's Road, Chelsea, April 26. 1834. 



Art. II. Catalogue of Works on Gardening, Agriculture, Botany, Rural Archi- 

 tecture, Sf-c, lately published, with some Account of those considered the most 

 interesting. 



FOURTH Annual Report of the Committee of the Royal Devon and Cornivall Bo- 

 tanical and Hortiadtural Society. Pamphlet, 8vo, 101 pages. Plymouth, 

 1834. 2s. 



When we mention that this Report is drawn up by our correspondent, Dr. 

 Hamilton, the honorary secretary to the Society, our readers will readily sup- 



