1884.] THE FOOTPATH PRESERVATION SOCIETY. 47 



it may te safely termed hardy. Its appearance is somewhat like 

 the Camellia, belonging to the same family, but is a dwarfer-gi-owing 

 bush. The leaves are of a dark shining green colour, and beauti- 

 fully cut at the margins ; the flowers are single, white, and very 

 pretty. The most important part of the plant, however, from 

 an economic or commercial point of view, is the young leaves, 

 which, after roasting and otherwise preparing, are used throughout 

 tlie civilized world, forming the " cup that cheers, but not inebriates." 

 Tlie last plant, viz. Tobacco (Nicotiana taliacuni), a native of South 

 America, is an annual of very easy growth, though occasionally, 

 when grown in pots, it lasts for more than one year. It is always 

 highly interesting, especially to " lovers of the weed." The flowers, 

 being of a rosy purple colour, are very attractive ; the leaves are 

 also very handsome, being rather large and slightly viscid, and from 

 which the popular narcotic is produced. Like our last-mentioned 

 plant, it is also universally consumed in different ways, but in this 

 country chiefly by the male portion of the community. In asking 

 you to grow these last two plants in your rooms, you will under- 

 stand that you are by no means to commence manufacturing your 

 own tea and tobacco, and thus cheat Her Majesty's revenue. I 

 simply ask you to give them a trial as well as other ornamental 

 plants. 



E. Lindsay. 



THE NATIONAL FOOTPATH PRESERVATION SOCIETY. 



rr^HIS Society was inaugurated at a preliminary meeting held on 

 JL 30th September last, at the temporary offices, 6 Fetter Lane, 

 Fleet Street, London. Mr. AUuutt, the promoter, explained at some 

 length the objects of the Society, which were to preserve to the 

 public foot and bridle paths, also all rights of way by land and 

 water, vacant spaces such as village . greens, etc. The Society 

 proposed to organize branches throughout the country ; but also is 

 to take immediate action in carrying out its aims in places where 

 footpaths were encroached on, and no local society existed. The 

 Rev. J. M. Taylor remarked on the tendency by landowners to 

 narrow footpaths from the four-feet track, so that it was an im- 

 possibility in using such paths, traversing a wheat held, not to brush 

 the ears on either side. A labourer in Buckinghamshire, when going 

 through a field of wheat on a public footpath, got wet rip to his 

 thighs : he straightway returned home and obtained a sickle, with 

 which he cut the wheat right across the whole field until the foot- 

 path was wide enough to walk over without a person getting wet 



