ART. XV. Proceedings of the Royal Society.

THE sittings of the Royal Society were resumed on Thursday, November 4th, at which meeting the Croonian Lecture, by Sir Everard Home, was read. It consisted of a further investigation into the component parts of the blood.

Thursday, November 11th and 18th.-The Bakerian Lecture was read, "On the Composition and Analysis of the inflammable gaseous Compounds, resulting from the destructive Distillation of Coal and Oil, with some Remarks on their relative heating and illuminating Powers. By W. T. Brande, Esq., Sec. R.S." In this Lecture, Mr. Brande details a series of analytical and synthetical experiments on the gases mentioned in the title, which lead him to infer that there exists no other definite compound of carbon and hydrogen than olefiant gas, and that what has usually been termed light hydrocarbonate, is merely a mixture of olefiant and hydrogen gases; consequently, affording varying results when submitted to analysis. Mr. Brande refers the sulphureous odour which is frequently perceived during the combustion of coal gas, in which no sulphuretted hydrogen can be detected, to the presence of sulphuret of carbon. This lecture also contains a detailed inquiry into the relative heating and illuminating powers of olefiant gas, and of the gases afforded by the destructive distillation of coal and oil, and concludes with some comparative researches on the properties of solar and terrestrial radiant

matter.

Thursday, November 25th. A paper was communicated by Dr. Young, entitled, "On the Elasticity of the Lungs," by James Carson, M.D.

Tuesday, November 30th. This being St. Andrew's day, the Society met according to annual custom, for the election of officers, which the Scrutators, having examined the lists, declared as follows:

PRESIDENT.-The Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., G.C.B.

TREASURER.-Davies Gilbert, Esq., M.P.

SECRETARIES.-William Thomas Brande, Esq.

Taylor Combe, Esq.

COUNCIL.

Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, Bart., G.C.B., President.

William Blake, Esq.

William Thomas Brande, Esq., Secretary.

Earl Brownlow.

Samuel Goodenough, Lord Bishop of Carlisle.

Earl of Charleville.

Taylor Combe, Esq., Secretary.

Alexander Crichton, M.D.

Davies Gilbert, Esq., Treasurer.

Major-General Sir J. W. Gordon, K.C.B.

Sir B. Hobhouse, Bart.

Sir Everard Home, Bart.

Captain Henry Kater.

Daniel Moore, Esq.

Right Hon. Sir John Nicholl.

John Pond, Esq.

Rev. Thomas Rackett.

Sir J. Staunton, Bart.

Right Hon. Charles Yorke.

William Hyde Wollaston, M.D.

Thomas Young, M.D., Secretary for foreign Correspondence.

Thursday, December 9th. At this meeting, a paper was communicated, "On the Polarisation of Light," by J. F. W. Herschell, Esq., F.R.S., the reading of which was continued on Thursday the 16th, and terminated on Thursday the 23d instant. The Society then adjourned for the Christmas vacation.

ART. XVI. Proceedings of the Horticultural Society.

In a former Number, we promised to notice regularly the proceedings of this interesting and highly useful society, which, through the energy of its management, and the fascinating nature of the objects to which its attention is directed, has, in a few years, attained a consequence and stability that may rank it with the first societies in the kingdom.

We now proceed to fulfil that promise, and shall commence with the fifteenth anniversary of the society, held on the 1st of May, 1819. On this occasion it was removed from the apartments of the Linnean Society in Gerrard-Street, where its meetings had been hitherto held, to a very commodious house and spacious meeting-room of its own in Regent-Street. The business of the anniversary is principally the election of officers, and the members of the council for the ensuing year. On this occasion all the officers were re-elected; and no other change was made in the council than that which the laws of the society enjoin, namely, the removal of three in rotation.

After the proceedings had closed, near a hundred members dined together at Almack's Rooms, in King-Street, St. James's. When the cloth was removed, a Report on the state of the society was read, by which it appeared that the total number of the society on that day was 601, of which 220 had been elected in the preceding year. It also appeared that the society had presented twenty silver medals within the year to different persons for their skill in various branches of Horticulture.

At the meeting of the 18th of May, a paper by Mr. William Masters, jun., was read, on the various species of the Genus Phlox, in which, after distinguishing the different species and varieties, Mr. Masters gives practical directions for their cultivation.

A paper descriptive of an improved frame for forcing vines was read, communicated by Sir Robert Vaughan, bart.; together with a model of the frame. The difference of this frame

from those generally constructed, is in its having a double groove for the sash to slide in. When the forcing of vines is over, the sash is withdrawn from the upper groove, and inserted in the under one, by which means the vine is put out of doors, and the forcing of other matters in the frame goes on.

Amongst a brilliant shew of flowers and fruits were fine specimens of grapes, sent from the garden of Benjamin Benyon, esq., M. P., of Haughton Hall, near Shiffnal. A branch of the Loquas, in fruit, was sent by Earl Powis, from his garden at Powis Castle, Montgomeryshire.

At the first meeting in June several interesting papers were read, particularly one on the steam-pits, erected by Count Zubow at St. Petersburg, by Dr. Fisher, inspector of the botanic garden at Gorinki, near Moscow, a foreign member of this society. These pits are for the general purposes of forcing, but more particularly for pines; they are filled with earth instead of tan, and are heated by passing a perforation steam-pipe through a reservoir of water, occupying the whole space beneath the pit, and the water being heated by this means, communicates its heat to the earth above, through perforated planks, and raises it to a high temperature; and it retains its heat so well that the fire may be discontinued for some days without injury to the plants.

A communication from Dr. Hill was read on the use of oxygen gas in the growth of plants. Dr. Hill has proved by frequent experiments, that water impregnated with oxygen gas applied to the roots of plants in a feeble state of growth will rapidly effect a change, and produce luxuriant vegetation.

An official letter was read from Dr. Wallick, superintendent of the botanic garden at Calcutta, and a foreign corresponding inember of the society, addressed to C. Lushington, esq., secretary of government at Calcutta, and communicated to the society by order of the directors; stating, that he had, in consequence of the instructions of the court of directors, taken such steps to collect plants and seeds in the interior of India for the Horticultural Society, as led him to hope for the most beneficial results. The letter was accompanied by a list of a

great number of varieties of seeds, which were received at the same time with it, as were also two boxes of plants.

A great variety of early fruits were exhibited, as were also some fine golden-pippins kept from last season.

June 15th. The most interesting of the papers read this day was one on the country where the apricot-tree grows wild, translated from the French of M. L. Regnier, by Richard Anthony Salisbury, esq., F.R.S., &c. In this paper M. Regnier controverts the received opinion that the apricot is a native of Armenia; and conceives, from the nature of the tree, from the observations of some ancient writers, and from his own inquiries while in Egypt, that it is found in a wild state only in the fertile spots in Africa.

A profusion of choice flowers, and of strawberries, cherries, and other fruits were exhibited.

At the first meeting in July, a communication was read on all the varieties of the Spring radish, founded on observations made at the garden of the society where all the varieties had been cultivated.

A communication from Mr. William Masters, jun., of Canterbury, was read, pointing out a method of obtaining bulbs of the Iris Xiphioides from seed, little inferior in size and vigour to those imported from Holland. Mr. Masters also obtained as many varieties in colour as arise from Dutch roots.

A very brilliant assemblage of flowers and fruits was exhibited, and particularly specimens of fourteen varieties of grapes, all of great beauty and excellence, grown in the vinery of George Caswall, esq., at Sacomb Park, Hertfordshire.

July 20th., The President sent specimens of a new cherry of great excellence raised by himself, the produce of a tree only three years old. Numerous varieties of the fruits in season were tasted, particularly a lemon queen pine, sent by the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks, bart., which was much commended.

August 3d. The silver medal of this society was presented to George Caswall, esq., for the splendid exhibition of grapes made by him on the 6th of July.