110 BULLETIN OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



Four years ago, Dr. Saunders, of the Experimental Farm, sent 

 me over one hundred plants representing, chiefly, the trees and 

 shrubs of Western Canada and a few northern European species. These 

 have been planted on the borders of the cleared spaces of the garden 

 and are kept quite distinct from the native species. They, with a 

 number of others, sent from Point Pleasant Park, Halifax, including 

 the Heather (Calluna vulgaris) have grown very well, although but 

 little care has been given them. These will serve for comparison with 

 similar native species as well as to illustrate the effect of our climate 

 upon them. 



Little or no attempt has been made to put plants in rows or beds 

 according to their classification, the chief aim being to provide a 

 natural habitat and surroundings as far as possible. The only ex- 

 ception to this was the treatment of weeds, a colony of which, for 

 prudential reasons, I placed in a row beyond the pale of other plants. 

 With a perversity characteristic of their tribe, they spurned such 

 treatment and refused to grow. 



Another family which does not take kindly to cultivation is the 

 Orchids. Manv of these, of which we have so many beautiful native 

 species, affect a solitary habit and are found in bogs. Others love the 

 rich mould of deep sheltered woods. Others such as the Calypso, 

 are rare or local in their occurrence. 



In the future, I hope to present to the Society at the close of each 

 season, a few notes embodying the results of observations, especially 

 on the rarer species and those less susceptible of " cultivation,'" 

 together with the time of coming into leaf, flower or fruit of certain 

 species of plants, which on account of their commonness have been 

 generally accepted as the basis of observation. In making such obser- 

 vations, there is a great value in watching for results on the same 

 spot of ground or the same plant, or one quite near it, from year to 

 year. This I have endeavored to do after being assured that the 

 plant has adapted itself to its changed conditions, and had been long 

 enough in the garden to be relied on to furnish correct data. In the 

 results recorded below, I have not hesitated to go outside the garden 

 to make observations on plants more favorably situated for coming 

 into leaf or bloom early, always choosing the same locality, and, in 

 the case of perennials, the same plants from year to year. 



The observations recorded below have extended over a period of 

 ten years, from L889 to 1898, inclusive. They are not so complete as 





