t20 Exhibition of Wild-flowers. [voi."^> 



Vict. Nat. 

 XXXIV 



a variety of subjects, though naturally vegetable preparations 

 predominated. Keen interest was exhibited by the public 

 in the wonders revealed under the microscopes, and their 

 owners were besieged ^ith questions on \-arious points, and it 

 would seem that l)y means of microscopes alone a considerable 

 sum might be raised for patriotic purposes. The display was 

 under the charge of Mr. F. Chapman, A.L.S., F.R.M.S., wlio 

 was ablv assisted by ^Messrs. R. E. Luher, B.A., P. J. Sharnian, 

 B.Sc. and \V. J. (3wen. 



Paintings of wild-flowers were exhibited by Miss Amy Fuller 

 and ]\Iiss Eftie Baker, and were mueli admired, also illuminated 

 lantern slides of native flowers arranged by Mr. V.. E. Pescott. 



The Club was deeply indebted to Miss Levy and her orchestra 

 for instrumental music. The sale of flowers and plants was 

 undertaken by a ladies' committee, and brought in nearly £y$. 



Miss Wells, for the Y.M.C.A., undertook the management of 

 the refreshment stall, which realized £io 17s. 



The receipts from admissions amounted to £124 lis. cash 

 at the door, and £38 6s. b}- sale of tickets, but the latter total 

 is not final. These amounts would indicate a total attendance 

 of aliout 3,250. The expenses amounted to about £^0, including 

 £16 for rent of hall, showing a profit up to the present time 

 of about £210. 



The thanks of the Club are diu' to many members who gave 

 freely of their time, also to the Royal Horticultural Society 

 and the Carnation, Dahlia, and Sweet Pea Society for the loan 

 of flower-glasses, and to the Melbourne Steamsliij) Co. for 

 carriage of flowers from Western Australia. 



"The Gum Tree." — The third (Septemljcr) nnml)cr of this 

 jmbhcation is to hand. It contains several articles of more than 

 passing interest. Some extracts from Prof. 1). E. Hutchens's 

 recent work on Australian forestry show that, during the next 

 thirty years, the amount to be ])aid by Australia for imijorted 

 timber, and the loss to the Commonwealth by neglected fi>restry, 

 will more than equal the \alue of the whole of the gold raised to 

 date. 



Questioning Nature.— A wdl-wriitcn article under this 

 heading, appreciative of the w(jrk of the F'ijld Naturalists' Club, 

 a])])earcd in the Ar^us of loth November, and should, with the 

 reports of the Wilfl-llower Exhibition (.jrd October) and the visit 

 to the Daudenong Forest (29th October), help to remove the 

 prevalent idea that field naturalists arc ])oor, liai inlets (ranks. 



