56 PROCEEDINGS MANCHESTER INSTITUTE 



President in the chair ; Miss lyucy Maud Hope, Secretary pro 

 tem. Mrs. Clough led the Section in a study of the life history 

 of ferns, touching upon the place of these plants in the vegeta- 

 ble kingdom, their method of development and the "alternation 

 of generations," which they illustrate so perfectly. 



The chapter on "Fertilization, Development and Fructifica- 

 tion," in the recently published book,' "How to Know the 

 Ferns," by Mrs. Frances Theodora Parsons, was read and dis- 

 cussed. Various terms used in the study of ferns were ex- 

 plained and illustrated by means of pressed specimens. A mi- 

 croscopic examination of fresh prothallia followed. 



By special request Mr. Burnham gave a talk on orchids. Al- 

 luding to the interest which this class of plants has excited in 

 recent times, he told of the perils which botanists have faced in 

 the search for new species ; also of the immense sums spent by 

 wealthy Englishmen for rare specimens. Special attention was 

 called to the L-ady-slipper (Cypripedium), which depends upon 

 one particular kind of insect for its fertilization. Incidentally 

 comparison was made with the mayfiower, which is now in a 

 state of transition, some of its blossoms being self-fertilized, 

 while others, those showing the brightest pink hue, are the 

 products of cross-fertilization. Reference was also made to the 

 columbine as being in danger of extermination because a certain 

 beetle gathers the honey from the outside of the spurs without 

 visiting the interior of the blossom. 



Adjourned to March 27. 



Tuesday evening, March 27. Regular meeting; Miss Susy 

 C. Fogg in the chair. There being no business to transact, the 

 members gave their attention to a talk by Mr. Batchelder on the 

 "L,ife History of Ferns." 



Ferns were first considered biologically, as aggregates of 

 cells ; then the successive steps of their development as plants, 

 simply, were traced, the first step being the formation of a nu- 

 cleus in a mass of hitherto undifferentiated matter ; next, the 

 formation of a cell wall, i. e., separation ; next, division of cells 

 and consequent multiplication, by which last process all plants, 

 however large, are built up. The individual plant, thus start- 



