154 Proceedings, &c, for 1885. 



July 9th, 1885. 



Present, the President (in the chair) and 17 members and 

 associates. 



The Rev. Wm. Williams was duly elected as a country member, 

 and Messrs. L. A. Chase and O. F. Colvin as associates. 



Dr. Henry moved a vote of thanks to Mr. Selby for his hand- 

 some donation of books to the Society. Carried. 



Dr. Henry moved that the Society place on record its regret 

 at the death of Dr. E. Barker, and express its appreciation of the 

 services rendered by him to the Society at its origin. 



Mr. Blackett reopened the discussion on Mr. Marks' paper on 

 i( The Atmosphere as a Source of Nitrogen in Plant Economy." 

 He said nitrogen was being constantly taken from the atmosphere, 

 but was never restored. Also, that when crops are repeatedly 

 sown in the same soil without nitrogenous manures they rapidly 

 decline in annual yield. 



Mr. Sutherland was disappointed that no reference had been 

 made to the experiments of French and English chemists, which 

 had made it tolerably certain that free nitrogen is not assimilated 

 by plants. 



Dr. Jamieson was also disappointed. He distrusted the argu- 

 ments used by Mr. Marks. The analogy of oxygen in animal 

 bodies with nitrogen in plants was inconclusive. He thought 

 that the leguminosEe had strong plant digestion, and could break 

 up obstinate compounds, leaving the nitrogen free' for succeeding 

 plants. There is annually deposited over the soil of France about 

 24: lbs. to the acre of nitrogen in combination, in the forms of 

 ammonia and nitric acid. Hence he saw no need to invoke the 

 theory of free nitrogen by plants. 



After a few remarks from the President, 



Mr. Marks, in reply, said the matter was open for discussion, 

 the experiments hitherto published being unsatisfactory. 



Mr. James Stirling's paper on "Evidences of Glaciation in the 

 Australian Alps" was then read, but the discussion was post- 

 poned till the next meeting. 



August Wth, 1885. 



Present, the President (in the chair) and six members and 

 associates. 



The Secretary (Mr. Sutherland) read Mr, Wakelin's paper on 

 the "Dynamical Equivalent of a Pressure." 



The President and Mr. Sutherland pointed out some fallacies 

 in the paper. 



