Cambridge Philosophical Society. 379 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



CAMBRIDGE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



Nov. 30, 1840. — The President, Dr. Hodgson, in the Chair. 



Prof. Henslow gave an interesting lecture upon the diseases of 

 wheat, in which after pointing out the differences of effect of the 

 Uredo caries or Bunt, and the U. segetum or Smut, he showed that 

 the U. rubigo or Rust is only an earlier state of the Puccinia gra- 

 minis or Mildew, having traced the progress of the plant from the 

 state described under one of these names to that denominated by the 

 other, and even found the simple, not septate, and nearly or quite 

 sessile sporidia of the Uredo in the same sorus with the clavate, con- 

 stricted and septate sporidia of the Puccinia. The Professor stated 

 that he had submitted specimens to Mr. Berkeley, and that that 

 eminent algologist had confirmed his conclusion that the two plants 

 (referred to different genera) are in fact only states of one species. 

 This is a conclusion that must cause great alteration in our ideas of 

 the subcuticular Fungi. He then pointed out the distinctions be- 

 tween the jEcidium Berberidis and the blights of wheat, and thereby 

 showed the improbability of the Berberry having any agency in the 

 causing of blight in wheat. He stated, that it might possibly be the 

 case, that the same soils and situations that are favourable to the 

 production of Uredo are also appropriate for the growth of the Ber- 

 berry, and that the Berberry had thus obtained the bad name which 

 has been so unjustly attached to it. 



The next point brought under notice was the prevalence of Ergot 

 in wheat in that part of Suffolk in which Prof. Henslow resides ; and 

 he expressed it to be his opinion, that the presence of Ergot in the 

 flour might be the cause of many of the grievous sores to which the 

 poor are liable ; he also stated that he had placed some of the wheat 

 Ergot in the hands of eminent medical men, in order that they 

 might ascertain if it possesses the same valuable medicinal proper- 

 ties for which the Ergot of rye is so celebrated. He concluded his 

 very valuable communication by giving the history of the Ear- 

 Cockle caused by the Vibrio tritici, and also of the Wheat Midge. The 

 whole was illustrated by excellent magnified drawings and nume- 

 rous specimens. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 



President, David Falconar, Esq., M.W.S. 



Vice-Presidents, Robert Graham, M.D., Regius Prof. Bot. of 

 Edinb. ; Daniel Ellis, Esq. ; Robert Kaye Greville, Esq., LL.D. ; 

 Prof. Traill, M.D. 



Council, Prof. Christison, M.D. ; H. Ivory, Esq. ; D. Steuart, Esq. ; 

 Patrick Neill, Esq., LL.D. ; William Scott, Esq. ; W. C. Trevelyan, 

 Esq. 



Treasurer, W. Brand, Esq. — Secretary, W. H. Campbell, Esq. — . 

 Corresponding Secretary, J. H. Balfour, M.D. — Foreign Secretaries, 



