g6 Exhibition of Wild-flowers. \vo\^ 



Vict. Nat. 

 XXXIII. 



floral attraction of the show — ^the Grampians exhibit. For so 

 unique a collection of the choicest gems of our flora the Club 

 and the visiting public were indebted to Miss G. Nethercote. 

 Taking advantage of the opportunity afforded by the ex- 

 cursion, promoted by some members of the F.N.C., to the 

 Grampians during the last week of September, she determined 

 to enlighten the Melbourne public regarding the beauty of the 

 flowers those highlands nourish, and to that end spared neither 

 time nor energy in soliciting the co-operation of the residents 

 of Hall's Gap, &c., in securing supplies of the most attractive 

 species. The result of her efforts, in which she was ably 

 assisted by Messrs. C. J. Gabriel, H. E. Coffey, C. Daley, and 

 others, was revealed by the very beautiful and comprehensive 

 collection of flowering plants and shrubs that was so much 

 admired during the afternoon and evening. 



The interesting and educative display made by the Micro- 

 scopical Society calls for special mention, and the Club hastens 

 to place on record its keen appreciation of the great service 

 and assistance rendered by the energetic president, Mr. J. 

 Searle, and other members of the Society. The splendid display 

 so admirably arranged and carried out by the Society was 

 probably the largest ever held in Victoria, 43 microscopes being 

 arranged on a long table stretching right across the hall, and 

 some 15 others could not be used for want of space. 



The subject adopted for exhibition was "The Life of a 

 Plant." Starting with the pollen grain, and the pollen attached 

 to the stigma, the formation of pollen tubes and the fertilization 

 of the ovule was shown, as well as the formation and ripening 

 of the seeds. Then the germinating seed, formation of roots, 

 root cap, &c., were shown entire and in sections. Next the 

 growing bud, stem, leaves, hair, stomata, oil glands, developing 

 bud, ovary, stamens, and perfect flower ; and finally mitosis 

 in the pollen mother-cells, showing how the pollen grains are 

 formed, and incidentally how plants increase in size by cell 

 division, completed the cycle. Professor A. J. Ewart kindly 

 placed his micro, slides at the disposal of the Society, and his 

 advice was of great value in arranging the display. Mr. P. 

 Sharman, B.Sc, also rendered great assistance in interpreting 

 the slides for non-botanical microscopists, and, with the help 

 of some of the students of the Training College, in providing 

 sketches of the sections under observation. Although visitors 

 were three and four deep round the table waiting their turn to 

 look through the microscopes, there was not the slightest con- 

 fusion or congestion, as the stream of sightseers moved steadily 

 in one direction round the exhibition, and were thus enabled 

 to view the whole series and to realize that the beauty of a 

 plant did not lie solely in its inflorescence, but that its hidden 

 structure was equally worthy of our admiration. 



