Trifolium patens near Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

"I send you a specimen of Trifolium patens, Schreber, which my friend Coleman lately discovered, growing on the embankment of the Burton and Leicester Railway, near Ashby-de-la-Zouch. It has probably been introduced with seeds from abroad, about four years ago, when the embankment was made. A quantity of Crepis setosa was growing near it, and also on other parts of the embankment, some distance from the spot; but there was only one rather large patch of T. patens. It is, I believe, a denizen of Germany, and other parts of Europe."-Andrew Bloxam; Twycross, Atherstone, August 25, 1853.

Adiantum Capillus-Veneris near Bath.

"I found three plants of this fern, growing in the air-shaft of a stone-quarry, some thirty feet below the ground, at Combdown, near Bath. Master Millett has also found another Cornish locality, about two miles from the well-known one at St. Ives. My plants of this fern, grown in pots, surprise most botanists, from their attaining a very large size, some fronds being a foot long. They are grown in a very rich soil, having plenty of leaf-mould, and the pots kept in a cool greenhouse. A plant has kept alive for three years, in our fernery, without protection."-E. J. Lowe; Observatory, Beeston, near Nottingham.

Fungus in the Heart of an Oak-tree.

"The very day that I had been reading Prof. Quekett's account of a fungus in the heart of a living oak (Phytol. iv. 945), I happened to be superintending some bark-peelers; when my attention was directed to an oak, which was partially decayed at the centre, towards the root, and the decayed wood mottled all over with patches of a white fungus. The tree was quite sound all round the circumference, and exhibited no marks of decay externally; and I had no suspicion of its being faulty, when I marked it for falling. Here there is another instance of a fungus in the heart of a living oak, which, Prof. Quekett thinks, has never before been recorded. I enclose a specimen." -W. T. Bree; Allesley Rectory, Coventry.

Udora Canadensis at Stafford.

"This interesting but unwelcome stranger has found its way here, within the last two years. The men who have charge of the river first observed it last year; and now it forms huge banks of vegetation in

the river, below the town, where it seems likely to become as great a nuisance as it is in Cambridgeshire. Its habitats are thus advanced from the Derbyshire border, at Burton-upon-Trent, to the centre of the county. Our dirty little stream (aptly named the Sow) flows into the Trent; so that the two localities have a very direct water-communication with each other. How it was introduced here, I cannot ascertain. Its existence so near home was unknown to me until yesterday, when, taking a botanical stroll with a friend, this remarkable addition to our local Flora came under our observation." —R. C. Douglas, M.A.; Forebridge, Stafford, August 23, 1853.

Udora Canadensis in the Valley of the Severn.

"While taking a botanical stroll, yesterday evening, I found a small patch of Udora Canadensis, in a pool near the river Severn, but unconnected with it, except by floods, near Bevere Island, about three miles from Worcester, up the river. I believe this is the first time it has been found in this district, though it was discovered in this county, in the Avon, at Evesham, in June last, by Mr. W. Che shire."-Thomas Baxter.

Lastrea rigida near Bath.

"I beg to enclose a frond of what I believe to be the true Lastrea rigida. I found a single plant, bearing only four fronds, in a somewhat bleak and exposed situation, within a few miles of Bath. I searched diligently for other plants, but without success."-John E. Vize; Town Mills, Bath, September 19, 1853.

The President, without hesitation, pronounced the frond which was exhibited to be Lastrea rigida, and in no way distinguishable from the same plant as found near Settle, in Yorkshire.

WORCESTERSHIRE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB.

Meeting in Wyre Forest.

A meeting of this Club took place in the latter part of August, within the shady coverts of Wyre Forest, under the Presidency of the Rev. Canon Cradock. "Stately Wyre" has been celebrated in the strains of Michael Drayton, and its venerated sorb-tree is noticed in the 'Philosophical Transactions,' for 1678. The party were anxious to examine the old Pyrus domestica, or true service-tree, the only one 7 B

VOL. IV.

known of the species, apparently wild, in any part of Britain. It is full a mile within the forest, and surrounded with dense underwood. Thin and decrepid, quite bare of foliage below, it now extends its lank arms a considerable height in air, and is only verdant at the extremities of these lofty branches. In fact, it is in the last stage of decay, and a few more years will probably leave it a mere weatherbattered trunk. Only this single tree of the Pyrus domestica has at any time been found within the forest precincts, and how it got there is unknown; but, as it is probable there would have been others, if it had been indigenous at the spot, the inference would seem to be that it was brought from abroad. Mr. Lees at this time pointed out a mound of broken stones and débris, now overgrown with brambles, not far from the tree, which seemed like the ruins of an old dwelling, and suggested that an hermitage might have been formerly there, and the tree brought from Aquitaine, by some recluse in the time of Edward III., when the English, under the Black Prince, occupied that duchy. There was an undoubted feeling of superstitious protection attached to the tree, whose fruit was commonly said, by the foresters living in the vicinity, "to keep out the witch" from their habitations; and for this reason they hung up the hard fruit, which would remain a long time without decaying, in their houses. The tree is commonly called by the foresters the Whitty, or Witten, pear; perhaps derived from the old English word witten, to know, meaning the wise tree. They distinguish it from the mountain ash, which they simply call Witchen; and though a protective power is attributed to a stick of that tree, yet the "Whitty pear," they say, is stronger." So, in the Arabian Nights,' the Genius of the Lamp was more powerful than the Genius of the Ring.

From the worn-out "service-tree," the party progressed on, among undulated oaken copses and watered ravines, to the brown horrors of sylvan shades, where the dense underwood spread a cloak, repulsive to observation; but here and there an opening space exhibited an old charcoal-heap, characterized by a peculiar vegetation, which Nature ever provides for secluded spots. Here was the Marchantia polymorpha, with its remarkable umbrella-like receptacles, spreading out like stars (both barren and fertile); brilliant scarlet patches of the local fungus, Thelephora carbonaria, contrasting so well with the blackened soil; and the hygrometrical moss (Funaria hygrometica), always following the track of fire along the charred ground. Still proceeding through mazes of gorse and bilberry-thickets, a great bog was entered upon, embowered and completely surrounded by thick

umbrage, where nothing could be seen but continuous forest, clothing hill and dale. A pretty scene was presented at this bog of undulating banks, covered with soft, yielding Sphagnum, with water gushing into every hollow, the whole profusely clothed with the tall Eriophorum latifolium, dangling its glossy tassels, white as ermine, with here and there the purple-flowered Epipactis palustris, and the fragrant Gymnadenia conopsea. A good deal of Molinia cærulea grew here, with fine purple spikes of flowers, and the borders of the bog were adorned with numerous bushes of Rhamnus Frangula, exhibiting a profusion of rose-coloured and black berries. About this spot, the silver-washed and dark green Fritillary butterflies (Argynnis Paphia and A. Aglaia) were observed, adding to the beauty of the scene. Here, also, Carex pulicaris and C. fulva were gathered.

The banks of Dowles Brook, now shaggy with flowering ling, were next traversed; and in the further progress to Park Brook, amidst glades filled with the bright Erica cinerea, profusely covered with purple bells, some beautiful, though secluded, sylvan features came into view. Here the party for some distance were obliged to proceed in Indian trail, from the close and dense investiture of verdure; but the fatigue was repaid on arriving at Park Brook, which, wandering at its own free will down a deep ravine, exhibits many most enchanting glimpses of rock, wood, and waterfall, charming to the lover of Nature, though on a confined scale. This gloomy and damp part of the forest has many charms for the botanical wanderer; and on the present occasion there were gathered the columbine and wood geranium, the elegant Pyrolas (P. media and P. minor), Gentiana campestris, Gnaphalium sylvaticum, Hypericum dubium, Convallaria majalis, Hieracium umbellatum, Sanguisorba officinalis, Listera Nidus-avis, and the pretty Melica nutans, in abundance. Among brambles, the less common ones were R. Guntheri, R. hirtus, and a variety of R. Lejeunii, as well as R. saxatilis. One traverse was made, across Dowles Brook, into Shropshire; for Mr. Jordan, of Bewdley, had remarked, that although Geranium sanguineum was plentiful on the Shropshire side of the brook, it never had the civility to step over into Worcestershire, much as he wished it. Close to the mouth of Dowles Brook, the water ouzel (Cinclus aquaticus) was started, which is a rare bird in Worcestershire; and here, on the banks of the Severn, Spiræa salicifolia and the beautiful Coronilla varia were observed to be growing luxuriantly, but certainly in a naturalized state. Mr. Jordan said the Spirea had been there a great many years. Dowles Church was passed on the way to Bewdley, and Ceterach officinarum

noticed on its brick walls. The Club dined at the 'George' Hotel, where, afterwards, various remarks were made in reference to the country examined and the objects seen, by the Rev. Canon Cradock, Mr. E. Lees, V.P., and Mr. W. Mathews. Mr. Baxter exhibited specimens of Udora Canadensis, now first found in Worcestershire, gathered by him a few days previously in a marshy pond at Grimley. Mr. Lees inferred that it must have been brought down the Severn by the autumn or spring flood, as his friend, the Rev. Andrew Bloxam, had seen it growing in the Severn, at Shrewsbury, in the present spring. That the plant was carried through the country by inundations, Mr. Lees said was quite clear; for during the late flood on the river Avon, in July last, while the hay was floating on the water at Evesham, Mr. W. Cheshire, jun., of Stratford, who happened to be there, took up a quantity with a fork, and, floating under the hay, appeared numerous stems of the Udora, which had thus been carried along by the impetus of the hay coming in contact with it. The Udora would now, doubtless, soon be common both in Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. The party retured to Kidderminster and Worcester, after a long, but most delightful, day.

BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

Sulphide of Calcium as a Remedy for the Grape Disease.

A paper by Dr. Astley P. Price, On the Employment of the higher Sulphides of Calcium as a Means of Preventing and Destroying the Oïdium Tuckeri, or Grape Disease,' was read.

"Of the many substances which have been employed to arrest the devastating effects of this disease, none appear to have been so preeminently successful as sulphur, whether employed in the state of powder or flowers of sulphur, or by sublimation in houses so affected. Notwithstanding the several methods described for its application to the vines, I am not aware that any had been offered in 1851, when these experiments were instituted, by which sulphur might be uniformly distributed over the branches, and be there deposited in such a manner as to be to some extent firmly attached to the vine. Three houses at Margate, in the vicinity of the one in which the disease first made its appearance in England, having been for the space of five years infected with the disease, and notwithstanding the employment of sulphur as powdered and flowers of sulphur, no abatement in its