SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 
87 
bearing one or more pendulous anatropous ovules about their centres and on 
their margins j immediately above the ovules were the anther lobes, more or 
: less perfectly developed, and surmounting these a long style, terminating in 
i a fringed funnel-shaped stigma. Sometimes the ovules were perfect, at 
I other times the nucleus protruded through the foramen, while in a third 
j set of ovules the nucleus was included within the tegument, the ovules 
I having in all respects their natural external conformation, but containing not 
I only pollen-gTains but also a layer of those peculiar spheroidal cells containing 
a fibrous deposit, which are among the normal constituents of the anther. In 
' one case, where the coat of the ovule was ■ imperfect, and thus allowed the 
I nucleus to protrude, it was evident that the pollen was contained within the 
I central mass of the ovule. In this instance Dr. Masters failed to see any of 
I the fibrous cells ; these he only found in cases where the coat of the ovule 
j was perfect ; and hence he thinks that probably the fibrous cells were part 
of the coat of the ovule, while the pollen was formed within the nucleus. — 
' Journal of Botany ^ No. lix. 
Astronomical Movements of Plants. — A somewhat peculiar paper has been 
I published by M. Ch. Musset, in which the author endeavours to show that 
1 certain characters of the trunks of trees are related to the movements of the 
I earth. The trunks of trees, he says, are always flattened in the northerly 
and southerly directions, and expand in an east and west plane. He states 
' that he could support his theory by several thousand examples, and that his 
{ views are thoroughly in accordance with astronomical laws ! 
A Valuable Herbarium for Sale. — On the authority of M. Henri de Saussure, 
i the American Naturalist states that a valuable collection of plants is now 
j offered for sale. The collection of the Swiss botanist, the late M. Gay, is to 
i be sold, and is said to be on view at the Jardin des Plantes, Paris. The 
price is fixed at 30,000 francs. The herbarium embraces the whole Eu- 
ropean flora. It contains 90,000 specimens, each specimen bearing a descrip- 
i tion and analysis. 
I Absorption of Carbonic Acid by the Boots of Plants. — It is so long since we 
had to record any work of M. Corenwinder in the department of physiologi- 
j cal botany, that we are pleased to find him return to his researches in a paper 
! read before the Academy of Science in November. M. Corenwinder states 
1 that he is induced to offer some remarks upon the rash statements of M. 
! Poussingault relative to the functions of the root. M. Corenwinder gives it 
i as his opinion that ‘^plants have not the power of absorbing carbonic acid 
from the soil by their roots, or that at least the quantity which permeates 
the tissues from this source represents but a very small proportion of the 
total amount of carbon their tissues contain.” Poussingault stated that in 
the air contained in an ordinary soil he found no less than ten per cent, of 
carbonic acid. M. Corenwinder asks what is the source of this large quantity 
of gas, and replies that it arises from the mass of decomposing organic mat- 
ter, leaves, &c., which in the processes of agriculture and by the influence of 
worms, &c., become embedded in the soil. M. Corenwinder, however, does 
not say what becomes of this carbonic acid. Liebig and other chemists an- 
swer the question better, in showing that the carbonic acid is taken up by 
water which percolates through the soil, and that it is then used in eroding- 
rocks and dissolving up otherwise insoluble mineral m.atters. 
