The Rev. W. Smith read a paper on the “Cellular tissue of plants”

Mr. Smith stated that owing to the very wide range of the subject, he should confine himself to noticing a few of the more general forms of cells and their distribution.

It was estimated that nearly half of the vegetable kingdom, comprising lichens, fungi, and algae consisted of cellular tissue only. Of the remainder, the principal part of mosses, and of leaves, pith bark and seeds were composed mainly of cellular tissue. In the earlier periods of the earth’s history, cellular plants comprised by far the greater part of vegetation.

The growth and multiplication of cells were explained, and the chief varieties alluded to, sketches of many of the more interesting forms being exhibited, and the plants furnishing them, enumerated.

The paper was also illustrated by a number of carefully mounted preparations of different tissues, these lending additional interest to the subject.