Inflorescence of the barren plant in small yellowish-green panicles; of the fertile one in axillary catkins. The fragrant bitter quality for which the hop is chiefly valued, resides in the catkins of the fertile plant; an active principle has been obtained from these called Lupulin, which as well as the hop itself, is sometimes used medicinally as a sedative. ORDER. ULMACEE. (MIRB.) ULMUS, (LINN.) ELM. Linn. Cl. v. Ord. ii. Named, according to Theis, from the Anglo-Saxon Elm; and Olm is still the Dutch, and Ulm the German word for this tree; but all these are derived from the Hebrew ul, to be strong, or vigorous, from the growth of the tree and quality of the timber. 1. U. suberosa, (Ehrh.) common Elm. Engl. Bot. t. 1866. U. campestris, Sm. (and most authors, not Linn.) U. suberosa, (Ehrh.) Engl. Bot. t. 2161. Locality. Woods and hedges. T. Fl. March, May. Area 1.2.3.4.5. Common in all the Districts. The most common timber-tree in our hedge rows, and one of the first magnitude, from 60 to 80 or 100 feet high, emitting copious suckers from the root, and even from the trunk at a considerable height, the branches spreading irregularly, and much divided, hairy at their tips, covered, as well as the trunk, with a rough deeply cleft, or chapped bark, which on very small and young trees often forms winged appendages of a corky texture. Leaves shortly accuminate, doubly or somewhat simply serrate. Flowers produced long before the leaves, (small) 4-5-cleft, segments ciliate, samara broadest above the middle, glabrous, shortly bifid at the apex, the seminiferous cavity chiefly above the middle, and extending almost to the notch.1 2. U. montana, (With.) broad-leaved Elm or Wych Hazel. Engl. Bot. t. 1887. U. major Smith? In Wiltshire we have some fine examples of this tree; perhaps the largest is at Holt near Bradford, measuring on the ground round the "claws” 42 feet, while five feet from the ground the butt only measures 22 feet; and there are several others in the immediate neighbourhood of nearly equal size, as I am informed by the Rev. Prebendary Wilkinson. In Spye Park noble specimens of the common elm may be likewise found, from 80 to 100 feet high-also in Charlton Park, Erle Stoke, and in the Close at Salisbury. Locality. Woods and hedges. P. Fl. March, April. Area, 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Distributed throughout all the Districts. A tree of considerable size and picturesque form; the large branches spreading from near the base, unless when drawn up in its youth. Leaves nearly sessile, broadly ovate, bordered with double teeth, and very unequal or oblique at the base, usually rough on the upper side and downy underneath. Flowers reddish, in dense clusters, surrounded by brownish bracts which soon fall off; the pedicels scarcely as long as the perianth. Fruit green and leaf-like, broadly ovate or orbicular 6 to 9 lines long, with a small notch at the top; the seed suspended in a small cavity near the centre of the fruit. There are several handsome specimens of this species in the county. In Spye Park are some remarkable fine old Wych Elms with trunks of great circumference; also in the neighbourhood of Devizes and Rowdeford house, with branches weeping gracefully to the ground. The wood of this species is of very inferior quality to that of U. suberosa and its varieties. The Wiltshire Elms require to be very carefully studied by some one who can observe the species in different states of growth, and also ascertain the quality of their timber. Let it always be remembered, however, that it is not from dried specimens that such a genus as this can be understood.1 Notes on the Common Primrose. (PRIMULA VULGARIS, HUDS.) By THOMAS BRUGES FLOWER, M.R.C.S., F.L.S., &c., &c. HE common Primrose (Primula vulgaris, Huds.) belongs to the natural order Primulacea, or Primrose tribe, by which is meant that in all essential particulars of the structure of its flower, as well as in its general habit and properties, it resembles the individuals of an assemblage which have the Primula for their type; in Linnæus's artificial system it is placed in the 1 For a very full account of the varieties of this and the other species see Loudon's Arboretum Brit. Class Pentandria, from pente five, and aner a Greek word, which in Botanical works is used to signify a stamen—having five stamens. Order 1st, Monogynia, from monos single, and gune, which in like manner is translated a pistil-having one pistil. This simple and elegant flower, which is very abundant in all our woods, hedge-banks, and thickets, throughout the County, is of considerable interest to the scientific Botanist. This interest is derived from the circumstance that it offers an apparent exception to the truth of that general and important law of the alternate disposition of vegetable organs. I trust I shall be able to prove that the exception is only apparent, and that although this circumstance has been quoted against the Natural system, yet it is in reality an excellent proof of its truth. If we attentively examine the arrangement of the different parts of a plant, we shall find that they are for the most part disposed in whorls whose parts are respectively alternate. Thus the parts of the calyx (sepals) alternate with the floral leaves (bractea). The parts of the corolla (petals) with those of the calyx-the stamens with the petals, and the pistils with the stamens. The scientific Botanist will readily understand this to be owing to the shortening of the central axis of the plant, around which the several parts are spirally arranged, and which therefore necessarily become alternate. On opening the tube of the flower of the Primrose, however, we find that the stamens are in fact placed so as to correspond with each of the portions of the border of the flower, instead of being alternate with them! This then is the anomaly to be explained. It is sometimes found that the organs of plants have altered in their appearance, and losing their original functions, acquire new ones. This transmutation occasionally proceeds to a perfect abortion and final obliteration of the part in question. Thus, in most of the flowers of the Nightshade tribe (Solanacea) there are five perfect uniform stamens; but in the flowers of Mullein (Verbascum), which is a genus of this tribe, they are irregular, three being shorter than the rest, exhibiting the first stage in the process of obliteration. In the Figwort tribe (Scrophulariacea), which is closely related to the Solanaceæ, the process is continued but chiefly affecting the fifth or odd stamen, which is situated next the axis of the plant. Thus in Pentstemon the 5th anther is converted into a bunch of hairs, and Chelone has the fifth filament naked, whilst in Linaria Cymbalaria (Ivy-leaved Toad-flax) this stamen is reduced to so minute a size as to require a magnifying power to detect it, in consequence of which it is always overlooked. In Scrophularia nodosa (Knotted figwort), &c., the fifth stamen is converted into a coloured scale occupying its proper situation in the flower, whilst in Scrophularia vernalis (yellow Figwort), this scale is wanting, the obliteration of the fifth stamen having been completed. In Antirrhinum majus (greater Snapdragon), &c., the abortive process has effected two other stamens, which are therefore shorter than their fellows, thus constituting the Didynamic character of the genus, whilst in Hedge Hyssop (Gratiola) these two additional stamens are almost gone, their imperfect filaments alone remaining to indicate their situation. Finally in Slipperwort (Calceolaria), and in Speedwell (Veronica) the obliteration of the three stamens is perfected, only two remaining to constitute the Diandrous character of these plants. That the above is the true theory of the varying character of flowers as respects the number and proportion of their stamens, is proved by the fact that occasionally an alteration from the ordinary structure in these organs takes place in a retrograde direction; the abortive organs being completely restored, and then always occupying their proper relative situations. Thus Gratiola, Herpestis Monnieria, (thyme-leaved Hedge Hyssop), differs from the rest of the genus in having four stamens; and Antirrhinum majus, which is a Didynamous flower, having only four stamens of unequal size, I once found to possess an imperfect fifth stamen next the axis, which is its normal situation, and thus tending to render the plant truly Pentandrous: now to apply these principles to the Primrose in which the stamens occupy an apparently anomalous situation. If we examine the flower of a plant belonging to the Primrose tribe (Primulacea), the Samolus Valerandi (common Brookweed), we find five scales at its mouth, alternating with the stamens and the lobes of the flower: these the scientific Botanist will recognise as an outer whorl of abortive stamens, which being entirely absent in the Primrose, prove the five stamens of the latter to belong to an inner whorl, which alternating with the situation of the absent outer whorl, are in their proper relative situations by being opposite the segments of the corolla. Thus then is the consistency and truth of the modern mode of Botanical investigation established, and I presume enough has been said to demonstrate to the student the necessity of attentively examining every variety of form and structure of the organs of plants, in order that he may be enabled to acquire correct ideas of the laws of Vegetable development. Inventories of Church Goods, and Chantries of Wilts. Annotated by MACKENZIE E. C. WALCOTT, B.D., F.R.S.L., F.S.A. Hon. Member Lancashire and Cheshire, Essex, Worcestershire Arch. Soc., etc. O Inventories of church goods for parish churches in Wilts remain as in the case of Somerset, Devon, and Sussex. I have found, however, some few relating to Monasteries and Priories. AMBROSEBURY Benedictine Nunnery. MALMESBURY Benedictine Abbey. MARLBOROUGH Carmelite Friary, with a sale catalogue. SALISBURY Dominicans at Fisherton Anger, the site granted 36 Hen. VIII., to John Pollard and William Byrte. SALISBURY Franciscans. They present us with a list of the conventual buildings, and in three instances with the furniture of the churches and domestic offices. The pensions granted to the Benedictine Nuns and Monks are also given. The certificates of chantries are contained in three rolls, two of 37 Hen. VIII., one on vellum, the second of paper; the third of 2 Edward VI. An act was passed 1 Edw. V1., c. 14, giving chantries, Free Chapels, and Colleges, to the Crown. In 1552, a Commission |