Ii6 ExhibilionofWild-flouers. [voi'''xxxiv 



The large attendance means that the public, in increasing 

 numbers, is becoming familiar witli the beauty and sweetness 

 of our native plants. In particular, the nurserymen, horti- 

 culturists, and florists — who, with few exceptions, have been 

 slow in realizing the possibilities of so many singularly attractive 

 flowers— were a^ain given an opportunity of correcting their 

 past mistakes by seeing some of the best flowers our bush can 

 produce. One can only hope that they did profit by the 

 lesson, and will devote some of their attention to the serious 

 cultivation of them, and, now that our exhibitions are on a 

 larger scale and more effectively advertised, this is more likely 

 to happen than ever before, and our plants in increasing numbers 

 will be listed in the nurserymen's catalogues. 



The wild-flower exhibitions serve several purposes : money 

 is raised for patriotic objects, interest is created and fostered 

 in our plants, leading to their cultivation, and our society is 

 advertised. It may, however, be asked whether some still 

 further advantage might not be reaped from the expenditure 

 of so much energy by those engaged in the effort to make the 

 exhibitions a success. At present we are still sadly lacking in 

 exact knowledge of the range and distribution of many species. 

 Though at first sight this may seem a somewhat unimportant 

 matter, it is highly desirable, for scientific reasons, that the 

 range of many of our flowers should ])e definitely recorded. 

 It cannot be expected, except, perhaps, in a very few instances, 

 that those sending flowers will also send lists of the species 

 with tlie parcels. Those of our members who are familiar 

 enough with our flora to identify the flowers rapidly and with 

 certainty are still, unfortunately, too few, and, in the rush of 

 unpacking and staging the flowers, have time to label only a 

 small proportion of tliem, and no time at all to record the species 

 from each locality. It has been suggested that in future 

 collectors might, with ver}^ little extra trouble to themselves, 

 send with eacli parcel of flowers an " index " bunch — that is, 

 one specimen of each species sent, these to be properly tagged 

 with the name of the exhibitor and the locality, these " index " 

 bunches to be set aside for subsequent examination and record 

 by competent autliorities, and thus each year would add 

 valuable information to our present incomplete records. 



The recent display was hardly as spectacular as the previous 

 one. It was, however, more interesting, on account of the 

 greater number of flowers from other States — Western Aus- 

 tralia, South Australia, New South \\'ales, and Queensland all 

 contributing specimens more or less unfamiliar to Victorian 

 plant-lovers. From the West a great mass of colotir was made 

 by the everlastings, mainly llelichrysums and Helipterums, 

 which had been ol)tained through the efforts of Miss Fuller. 



