SCIENCE. 
306 
ment of nearly one-fourth of an inch on the 
surface of the stem; (3) the healing was com- 
plete in the interior, but the line of section was 
plainly visible under the microscope ; (4) there 
was a displacement of the vascular bundles 
corresponding with the surface displacement ; 
(5) the epidermis dried and shrank away be- 
fore union could be completed, and there was 
thus left a V-shaped groove which extended 
completely round the stem, and demonstrated 
the completeness of the section in the first in- 
stance. 
In the Redpath museum of McGill college 
there is a most interesting case of an 
old blaze on a beech-tree, which, in 
the course of a few years, came to be 
completely covered by the new growth. 
The specimen came originally from 
Belle Riviere, county of Two Moun- 
tains, and was discovered when cut- 
ting up the tree for firewood. It was 
exhibited before the Montreal natu- 
ral history society, at its meeting in 
April, 1882; but no special descrip- 
tion of it was published. It is there- 
fore thought desirable to figure and 
describe it here (see preceding page). 
The figure, as blazed, is shown in the accom- 
panying drawing; and its general character 
shows that it was probably made by one of the 
early Catholic missionaries, who little dreamed 
that it would be so effectually preserved. An 
examination of the stump showed by actual 
count at least one hundred and sixty rings of 
annual growth external to the blaze; and the 
size of the original tree is still clearly defined, 
showing that it was four inches and a half in 
diameter. 
Two impressions are to be observed, — one. 
representing the original marking; and the 
other, a cast from it, made by the overgrowing 
wood; both being very clearly defined. We 
have to note the following : — 
1. That the figure was cut with a knife, as 
shown by occasional incised lines ; though the 
outer cast, being in black, at first leads one 
to the belief that a hot iron was employed. 
Upon closer examination, however, it seems 
more probable that the black or carbonized 
portion was the result of slight decay, the de- 
cayed portion being subsequently covered up, 
and thus producing the appearance described. 
2. That the destruction of the bark and 
cambium was strictly confined to the lines of 
the figure, the intermediate portions still re- 
taining their vitality and power of growth. 
3. As now seen, the figures of the original 
1 Canadian nat., new ser., vol. x. no. 4, p. 238. 
[Vou. ILL, No 
blaze are defined by a stronger localization of 
coloring-matter in the wood, along the entire 
outlines, as shown in the drawing. 
4. This offers:a very good illustration of the 
tendency of active vegetable tissues to heal 
over abraded surfaces, and repair injury, the 
degree of reparation depending upon (a) the 
special vigor of the plant, and (0) upon the ex- 
tent of the surface injured. 
In 1879 I discovered a very interesting case 
of adhesion in a cucumber growing in the 
plant-house. My attention was not called to 
it until in an advanced stage of development, 
FLOWER GROWING UPON A CUCUMBER. 
as represented in the drawing, which is of full 
size. Asis here seen, the monstrosity literally 
consisted of a flower growing upon a well-de- 
veloped cucumber. As shown in the figure, 
the abortive flower was borne on a conspicuous 
peduncle, which became merged at its base with 
the base of the cucumber. ‘The entire relation 
of parts would seem to indicate that there must 
have been two axillary flowers which became 
united in the early formation of the buds ; one 
of them subsequently developing normally, 
while the growth of the other was largely ar- 
rested. D. P. PENHALLOW. 
McGill university, Montreal. 
THE NATAL OBSERVATORY. 
Mr. EpMuUND NEISON, the government astronomer 
at Natal, submitted to the colonial secretary, in June 
last, his report on the Natal observatory, whose 
establishment has been mainly due to the active 
exertion of Mr. Escombe. It was decided to found 
the observatory in time to obtain observations of 
the then approaching transit of Venus of 1882; 
and, on being applied to, Mr. Gill, the astronomer 
royal at the Cape, furnished an estimate of the cost 
of a suitable establishment. A generous sum was 
secured at first by private subscription; and in June, 
1882, the sum of three hundred and fifty pounds 
was voted by the corporation of Durban toward the: 
expense of founding the observatory, and the next 
month this was supplemented by a special vote of 
