1908] Report of the Council 9 



slides and clearly explained. The uses of the various types of 

 wheat were pointed out, and some account was given of the 

 milling and baking tests carried on by the lecturer in determin- 

 ing the value of different varieties. 



On March 3rd. a large audience, including many members of 

 the teaching staffs of the city, heard Dr. John Brittain of 

 Macdonald College discuss "The Time and Place for Nature 

 Studv in the Public Schools." The lecturer made a strong plea 

 for the introduction of Nature Study in the lower grades. At 

 the conclusion of his address proper. Dr. Brittain gave a practical 

 demonstration of Nature Study methods by teacliing a lesson, 

 replete with simple experiments, on "The Composition of Wood." 



The final lecture of the course, "What is the Shamrock?" 

 is to be delivered this evening by Prof. John Macoun. 



The Soiree Committee is usually forttmate enough to secure 

 the services of some visiting scientist for a special lecture. On 

 May 31st of this Club year, Prof. Chas. Pollard, Secretary of the 

 Wild Flower Preservation Society of America, delivered an 

 address before a large gathering in the Assembly Hall of the 

 Normal School. The address was illustrated with more than a 

 hundred hand-colored slides from the fam.ous Van Brunt collec- 

 tion, perhaps the most beautiful ever shown before the Club. 

 The older botanists of the Club comment on the number of species 

 now locally extinct, due to the steadv expansion of the city 

 and the consequent destruction of such collecting grounds as 

 "Stewart's Bush." 



Excursions. 

 The following programme of excursions was drawn up : 

 April 20th, Rockliffe. 

 April 27th, Beech wood. 

 May 4th, Blueberry Point. 

 May 11th, Leamy's Lake. 

 May 18th, Tetrauville and Beaver Meadow. 

 May 25th, Victoria Park and Experimental Farm. 

 June 1st, General Excursion, Chelsea. 

 Sept. 14th, Beaver Meadow, Hull. 

 Sept. 21st, Queen's Park, Aylmer. 

 Sept. 28th, Rockliffe and Hemlock Lake. 



The fact that only one excur.sion was cancelled is striking 

 evidence of the drv weather conditions that prevailed throughout 

 the season. The lat^eness of the spring is similarly emphasized in 

 the published reports of the excursions by the constant mention 

 of the unusually small numbers of birds and insects observed. 

 The fall exctirsions, however, were held under very favorable 

 conditions, and were so largely attended that the Council, by 



