the east side of the room have been filled with collections 

 illustrating useful vegetable products. These include gums, 

 resins, rubber, tannins, medicinal drugs, various food-stuffs, 

 fibres, etc. The south wall cases contain a collection of 

 tropical specimens, such as the stems of trea-ferns, palms, 

 bamboos, inflorescence of sago palm, and similar objects. 

 A large wall-case occupying the whole of the north side 

 the room is set apart for specimens illustrative of British 

 forest trees. A number of these have been obtained, but 

 the slow process of drying out has as yet prevented their 

 exhibition. 



One desk case has been filled with a fine representative 

 series of useful and useless grasses presented by Messrs. 

 Sutton & Sons. A second case is provisionally occupied by 

 living local plants, usually in flower. This case has proved 

 a constant source of interest and pleasure, causing many 

 visitors to visit the Museum regularly in order to learn the 

 names and characters of the wild plants and flowers of the 

 district. As an incentive to the study of Botany, and an 

 encouragement to a fuller appreciation of the countrvside, 

 this feature is invaluable. In connection with this work it 

 is a pleasure to record the indebtedness of the Museum to 

 Miss Ida M. Roper, F.L.S., who has had sole charge of this 

 case, and collected the great bulk of the specimens. Her 

 efforts have been confined to the plants and flowers growing 

 locally, and a uniform number of 20 specimens , per week 

 ha-ve been shown for 32 weeks from the opening day to the 

 end of September. In all 370 species have been exhibited, 

 and nearly all can be found by ordinary observation in the 

 surrounding country. A very pleasing feature has been the 

 eagerness with which working-men have assisted in collecting 

 these specimens. The unselfishness with which they have 

 ministered to the pleasure of others, often at considerable 

 labour to themselves, has been delightful. Additional 

 interest has been given to the exhibition by a weekly series 

 of popular notes which Miss Roper has contributed to the 



