136 Botany at the forthcoming British Association. 
papers and a general discussion. In this way the interest of 
members is focussed on one general topic throughout a Session, 
instead of being distracted by a succession of miscellaneous papers. 
The three topics chosen for the present meeting may be 
described in a general way as follows :— 
“ Some Aspects of the Present Position of Palaeozoic Botany ” 
will be dealt with by Dr. D. H. Scott, F.R.S., and “The Conditions 
of Growth of Carboniferous Plants ” by Professor F. E. Weiss, 
Miss M. C. Stopes and others. Various geologists specially 
conversant with the mode of occurrence of Carboniferous Plants 
have been invited to contribute to the discussion. This subject will 
occupy the Friday morning session. 
“The Nature of Fertilisation” and kindred problems will 
engage the attention of the Section on Monday morning (August 
6th). This will be a joint Session with Section D (Zoology). Mr. 
V. H. Blackman will open the proceedings with a general address 
setting forth the present position of the subject. Professor Farmer, 
F.R.S., is expected to contribute a paper on the cytological 
features of Apospory, and Mr. Doncaster one on Some Cyto¬ 
logical Features of Animal Parthenogenesis. Several eminent 
foreign botanists, distinguished for their work on kindred topics, 
who will be in England attending the Conference on Plant- 
hybridism to be held in London immediately before the meeting of 
the Association, have promised to be present. Among these are 
Professor Tschermak of Vienna, Professor Johannsen and Dr. 
Ostenfeld of Copenhagen, Dr. Rosenberg of Stockholm and 
Dr. Lotsy of Leiden. 
“The Phylogenetic Value of the Vascular System of Seedlings ” 
will occupy the Section on Tuesday morning (August 7th). Mr. A. G. 
Tansley and Miss E. N. Thomas will open the proceedings, while 
Professor Jeffrey of Harvard, Messrs. A. W. Hill, T. G. Hill, and 
Miss Ethel Sargant are expected to contribute by papers or other¬ 
wise to the discussion. 
While it is thought very desirable to make the type of Session 
described the backbone of the meeting of the Section, it is quite 
undesirable, and not in accordance with the aims of the Association, 
to exclude miscellaneous papers of interest and importance from 
attention. Accordingly several Sessions have been left open for 
these. Where possible they will be grouped under different 
headings and the whole or part of a Session devoted to each group. 
Thursday afternoon (August 2nd) will thus be devoted to papers 
