KINGSTON BOTANICAL SOCIETY. 77 



Prof. Weir, A.M. ; John Watkins, Esq. ; J. Creighton, Esq., Mayor ; 

 Rev. Prof. Mowat, M.A. 



Secretary — Professor Lawson, LL.D. 

 Auditor — Andrew Drummond, Esq. 

 Treasurer — Professor Murray. 

 Librarian — Mr. R. V. Rogers, B.A. 



Herbarium Committee — Mr. A. T. Drumrnond, B.A. ; Mr. W. 

 B. Ferguson, Jr., B.A. ; Mr. John Bell, B.A. ; Mr. Robt. Jardine, 

 B.A. ; Mr. John McMorine ; Mr. James B. Ferguson, B.A. ; Mr. 

 Josiah Jones Bell. 



Professor Lawson stated that through the kindness of Professor 

 Caruel, formerly of Florence, now at Pisa, an ample supply had 

 been obtained of living cocoons of the new Chinese silk moth, Sa- 

 iurnia Cynthia, which yields the Ailanthine silk, now so success- 

 fully raised in France and Italy. The eggs, which may be obtained 

 from the moths in May next, it is proposed to distribute to such 

 members of the Botanical Society as may desire to aid in the ex- 

 periment of rearing them in Canada. This silk worm feeds on 

 the Ailanthus glandulosa, a tree that is quite hardy in Canada. 

 Members desirous of obtaining eggs were invited to send in their 

 names to Professor Lawson, who stated that although there had 

 hitherto been experienced great trouble in unwinding the cocoons, 

 the process of soaking in caustic potash which Mrs. Lawson had 

 found to answer so well with the Canadian Cecropia cocoons, 

 was no doubt equally applicable to the new Ailanthine silk. Pro- 

 fessor Lawson likewise exhibited samples of cloth made in the 

 Indian prisons from the floss of the Indian silk weed or mudar 

 plant, a material precisely similar to the floss contained in the 

 pods of Canadian silkweeds. 



Mr. Rogers, the Librarian, presented the following donations 

 to the Society's Library : — 



1. From the Montreal Natural History Society — The Canadian 

 Naturalist and Geologist, from February 1862, to January, 1863. 



2. From the American Philosophical Society — Nos. 66 and 67 

 of their proceedings. 



3. From the Boston Society of Natural History — Their pro- 

 ceedings, Vol. 8, pages 1 to 128. 



4. Proceeding of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, 

 Boston, Vols. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, — from the Academy. 



5. Annals of the Lyceum and Natural History of New York, 

 Vol. 8. Nos. 10 and 12, — from the Society. 



