62 
in the West puc e repeated nc to them, and his intimate 
knowledge of th onditions, have enabled him to produce 
account as kareso pe jt is Bib paria of their natural and ae 
resources, which is certainly more complete than any thing pacers 
available. Why the West Indian Colonies have failed io ach 
success, and in what direction the path to it lies in the future, ae 
be readily understood by anyone who will take the mm 5 read 
these pages. 
t the conclusion of their report the cr ua RU bear 
testimony to their value in the following term 
«< We have had in the course of this report " refer frequently 
to the very interesting and valuable survey supplied by Dr. Morris 
of the agricultural resources and requirements of the oe 
visited by us, which forms Appendix A. in this volume. Dr. 
is’ ith th 
infor 
The Report which he has prepared bears witness to the Gigio 
of his study of these questions, and the assiduity with which he 
has collaborated e E vd course of our inquiry to further 
the purposes of the Comm 
“The Secretary of "ms pu the ie having desired 
that this Appendix should be issued more accessible 
and convenient form, it was eventually decided that this should 
be done in connection with the Kew Bulletin, the pages of which 
contain a large mass of erus cognate with the subjects 
enquired into by the Commissio 
“The opportunity has been sed to carefully revise it. Under 
each Colony a brief aecount has been added within brackets of its 
botanical organisation, as well as lists of books and papers which 
may be consulted for further information. 
WT, TD. 
Kew, January, 1898." 
Work from Jodrell Laboratory.— During the current session vi 
the Royal Society the following communications have bee 
made to it relating to work earried on in the Jodrell Laboratory :— 
November 18, 1897. 
Note on the Influence of very sew Temperatures on the 
Germinative Power of Seeds. By Horace T. Brown, F.R.S., and 
F. Escombe, B.Sc., F.L.S. (Proc. RS. tl: 62, pp. 160-5), 
Seeds of 12 species were subjected for 110 hours to the 
temperature of liquid air ( — 183° C. to — 192° C.), and afterwards 
allowed to germinate side by side with seeds which had not been 
so treated. Perfect plants developed in both cases, similar in all 
respects. Since no metabolic changes are possible at these low 
temperatures, the authors conclude that there are fed in resting 
seeds, although these still retain potentiality of life, 
