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vantage that -would be conferred upon the community, if per- 

 sons, in their travels, would preserve a few of the numerous 

 articles that fall within their notice, such as books of local 

 character, seed vessels, and other natural productions — 

 many of which could be obtained and brought home with but 

 little trouble. The Chair also alluded to some Bunga weed, 

 or Cannabis sativa, Hemp, — used by the natives of Zanzi- 

 bar, for smoking, which had been recently presented, with 

 other articles of interest, by William G. Webb. Tlie 

 Hemp, when grown in warm climates, possesses more nar- 

 cotic qualities than in more temperate regions. 



Some flowers of the HejuUica triloba, collected by Henry 

 J. Cross, on the Saturday preceding, were also placed 

 upon the table, and were the subject of some remarks from 

 the Chair, who mentioned an unsuccessful search of an hour, 

 some days since, for the Draba verna^ usually among the 

 earliest of our Spring flowers. As the locality for this plant 

 is the only one known to him in this vicinity, he fears that 

 it may have been eradicated by collectors in previous years, 

 though he hoped specimens might still be found there. 



A shoot of the Grape Vine, which had been ringed the 

 past season, was presented, when the Chairman called upon 

 Mr. J. M. Ives to speak of this practice of ringing vines. 



Mr. Ives observed that the crude sap of the vine passed up 

 in the Laburnum or sap Wood, to the leaves (which may be 

 said to be analogous to the lungs in animals,) where it is 

 elaborated and rendered fit for the growth of wood and fruits, 

 when it passes down the nerves or the leaves to the leaf stock 

 in or through the cambium, until it reaches the ringed part. 

 It is then thrown back, enlarging the limb and fruit, and 

 accelerating its ripening. He also read a paper on the Blight 

 in Pear Trees. Of the Insect blight of Prof. Peck, which was 

 quite prevalent around Boston some years since, and was at- 

 tributed, at that time, to the insect denominated Scolytus, we 

 now hear but little, if anything. At that day, many practi- 

 cal cultivators were sceptical as regards this insect being the 



