SCIENTIFIC SUMMARY. 375 
epocli of Europe. A deal of similar evidence is advanced by Dr. Unger, 
whose lecture we commend to our readers’ notice. 
Testimonial to Dr. Lindley. — From the pages of a contemporary we learn 
that upwards of 200 names are subscribed to the Lindley testimonial. This 
enabled the jDromoters to order a handsome piece of plate, worth about 200 
guineas, which borrowed some of the details of its ornamentation from the 
orchids and other plants to which Dr. Lindley’s studies have been specially 
directed. The delicate attention shown in the design has been duly appre- 
ciated by Dr. Lindley, vdio, prevented by ill-health from receiving the 
deputation that was to present the testimonial, has gracefully acknowledged 
his thanks in a letter addressed to Mr. Bateman. — Joimial of Botany, 
No. XXVI. 
Connection between the Laticiferous and. Fibro-Vascular Vessels in Plants. 
— It may appear strange that such a communication as that inferred by this 
heading should exist. Yet we think that M. Trecul, who has tried to estab- 
lish the fact, has been tolerably successful in his efforts. In Beaumontia 
grandiflora, one of the A]oocynece, one frecuiently finds m the inner bark verti- 
cal laticiferous vessels give off lateral branches, which in their turn travel 
through the medullary rays and thus reach the central pith : arrived here, 
they then anastomose with the proper latex vessels of this locality. In the 
Lobelia tribe the latex vessels are exceedingly numerous in the inner bark, 
near the cambium layer ; they form an exquisite network, vdiose meshes are 
sometimes long, but at others short and narrow. There are also a number of 
isolated vessels close to the netv/ork, and which communicate with this latter 
numerous puiastomoses. From the inner reticulation several vessels pass 
inwards towards the woody bundles, and outwards towards the bark ; the 
latter series of vessels traverse the bark in every conceivable direction, and 
occasionally intercommunicate. The branches which travel towards the 
centre of the stem may pass along the medullary rays ; but in many instances 
they a,re in contact with the woody fibres and vessels only. These branches 
are in some cases in close contiguity. From Isotoma longiflora M. Trecul 
obtained a transverse section, which exhibited no less than eleven of these 
latex vessels in a space measuring about the tliird of a millimetre. Almost 
all of them formed anastomoses with the woody tissue. — Vide Comptes Bendus, 
January 9th. 
Do the Leaves of Plants exhale Carbonic Oxide ? — This question is answered 
in the negative by M. Corenwinder, many of whose former researches we 
have referred to in previous numbers. He contrived a siinj)le apparatus for 
investigating the nature of the gases exhaled. This consisted of a number of 
tubes connected with bulbs, and attached at one extremity to an aspirator. 
The air passed in the first place into one or two bulbs containing caustic 
potash, which removed any carbonic acid that might have been present. It 
then was made to traverse slowly a horizontal tube containmg pumice-stone 
and oxide of copper, and which was brought to a dull-red heat. In contact 
with the oxide of copper, the carbonic oxide, or other combustible gases, 
became converted into carbonic acid, which was then collected in a bulb fi ller) 
with concentrated solution of baryta. By this experiment often repeated, 
M. Corenwinder has assured himself that all the carbonic oxide which passes 
over the copper and into the bulb, is changed into carbonate of baryta. By 
