Page:Journal of botany, British and foreign, Volume 9 (1871).djvu/106

 93 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES.

rifjid liiiirs, all pointing dounwartls, which prevent the return of any in- sect that has ventured far down. " On Carnivorous and Insectivorous Plants," b\' ^Irs. Barber. The author considered Nepenllies, Sarraceuia, Darllrilo)na, Cfphdotus, and the Cape species of Brosera and Roridula as predatory phuits.

Jan. 19///, 1871. — G. Bentliam, Esq., President in the chair. A pho- tographic alljuni, ' In Menioriani Cai oli a Litnie,' published in Sweden, and consisting of mounted photograpiis of places connected with the life and death of the great botanist, was exhibited. The price of the book is £,2, and it can be obtained from Mr. Oscar Dickson, of Gottenl)urg. Sjiecimens of Caucalis Icdifolia, collected near Keynshara, Gloucestershire, by Mr. Plower, were exhibited [additional district (5) to those given in Wjitson's ' Compendium ']. The following papers were read : — By D. llanburv, " Historical Notes on Radix Galarujre (nwwrk)." This was known as early as the ninth century, being mentioned in the MS. of an Arabian writer of that date ; the later Greek physicians also notice it, and in North Europe it was known as early as the twelfth century, though not in common use in the West before the fifteenth. At present the chief consumption of this drug is in Kussia, where it is nsed as a spice and flavoui-iug as well as a medicine. Dr. Hooker read a letter from Mr. J. Atkin giving an account of S. Christoval, the most south of the Solomon Islands. A general view of the nature of the flora was given : there are few large trees or Grasses, and a complete absence of Tree-ferns. — " Notes on Bi/nanl/iHS," by Dr. M. T. Masters. The plant described by Guille- min as Byrsanfhus Brownii, is not the same species as Brown's plant (S. c7?/y_y///^5, Masters, n. sp.) described in Tnckey's 'Congo.' The ar- rangement of the stamens in the genus is peculiar : in the outer row there are apparently 10 stamens alternating with 10 glands ; Dr. Masters con- siders the glands opposite the sepals to be barren stamens, and the re- mainder to constitute 5 compound stamens (opposite the petals), each compound stamen consisting of a central gland, and on either side of this a stamen. The inner row consists of 5 glands (barren stamens) opposite the sepals, and 5 fertile stamens opposite the petals.

��Botanical Society of Edinburgh. — Jan. \2th. — Alexander Bu- chan, Esq., President, in the chair. The following communications were read : — " Note on the Practical Application of Meteorology to the Im- provement of Climate." By A. Buchan. In the ' Journal of the Scottish Meteorological Society' for April, 1870, there appeared a valuable paper by Mr. D. Milne Howe, Chairman of the Covmcil of the Meteorological Society, on " Suggestions for Increasing the Supply of Spring Water at Malta, and improving its Climate," in which the author shows that plan- tations would increase the water supply of the island, and ameliorate its climate. The drawbacks to the climate of Malta are chiefly these: — During winter and spring the island is swept by cold northerly winds ; during the summer mouths the heat is excessive, and during all seasons there is great scarcity of water. These climatic peculiarities, which are very deleterious to health and vegetation, may be regarded as primarily arising out of the geographical position of Malta. The winter tempera- ture rapidly falls in proceeding from Malta towards the north-east ; thus while at Malta the mean temperature of January is 56"0°; at Corfu it is 49 8°; at Belgrade 30-3°; at Kiew 20'4°; and at Moscow 12-4°. Hence

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