^gj'*'] Exhibition of Wild-Flowers. 105 



EXHIBITION OF WILD-FLOWERS. 



Once again the Melbourne Town Hall was selected for the 

 exhibition of wild-flowers, which has become an annual fixture 

 of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria. The date chosen 

 was Tuesday, 30th September, and again there was a large 

 attendance of the general public, indicating thereby that the 

 efforts of the Club and its friends are appreciated. Following 

 the custom of recent years, the proceeds were announced to be 

 divided between the Anzac House Fund appeal and a fund 

 for publishing a list of common names for Victorian plants. 

 It is too soon yet to say to what extent these funds will benefit, 

 but it is expected that the profit will amount to about £150. 



The exhibition, which was under the patronage of Her 

 Excellency Lady Helen Ferguson, G.B.E., was opened in the 

 afternoon, by the State Commandant, Brigadier-General 

 Brand, C.B., V.D., who compared Australian wild-flowers 

 to Australian " diggers " (soldiers), saying that they get on 

 best without too much attention and too much coddling — 

 all they want is a square deal. He thanked the Club for 

 selecting the Anzac House as the object of its help, and 

 said that, while Australian wild-flowers were reputed to 

 be the hardiest in the world, the same could be said of the 

 Australian soldiers and the Australian horses. All through 

 the trying Palestine campaign the latter had proved them- 

 selves hardier than those from elsewhere, while the " diggers " 

 had endured the withering heat of Egypt and the mud 

 and cold of Flanders with less wastage from sickness than 

 any other corps. The Anzac House would be a great boon to 

 returned men, and he could assure them that it would be run 

 on strictly temperance principles. 



The president, Mr. A. D. Hardy, F.L.S., in thanking General 

 Brand for honouring the exhibition with his presence, said that 

 the Field Naturalists' Club, as part of its endeavour to 

 popularize the native flowers, proposed, if the result of the 

 exhibition allowed it, to publish something in the way of a 

 list of adopted popular names for Victorian plants, which he 

 felt sure would be welcomed by enthusiasts. 



Among the visitors during the afternoon was His Excellency 

 the Governor-General, who, unanticipated, spent a short time 

 in viewing the exhibits, with which he expressed himself very 

 pleased. 



The display of flowers was finer than had been expected, 

 for, the winter and early spring having been very dry, the com- 

 mittee had become somewhat anxious ; however, everybody 

 was satisfied that the exhibition w^as quite equal to previous 

 efforts. All the Australian States were represented by col- 



