(6 ¢ 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE FLOWERING PLANTS 
OF WEST CUMBERLAND. 
By J. ADAIR. 
(Read at the Workington Anuual Meeting. ) 
At the request of the Secretary of the CUMBERLAND ASSOCIATION, 
the following notes and observations have been made, chiefly from 
data gathered by the Botanical Section of the Whitehaven Scientific 
Association, 
The Section was formed early in 1879, and it was at first joined 
by a good many members, as it was intended that a vigorous effort 
should be made to collect and preserve the flowering plants of the 
district. 
The Society already possessed’ a valuable collection of British 
plants (presented by the late Mrs. Pratten of Haile), and the 
efforts of the members of the section were intended to be directed 
towards supplementing this collection by local specimens, and by 
filling up vacancies in the the herbarium, as far as possible. 
Unfortunately (for the Botanical section,) the summer of 1879 
was very unfavourable for out-door work; and although many 
excursions were planned, the weather on every occasion happened 
to be very wet, so that conjoint action (in consequence of so many 
disappointments) came to an end for the season. 
Owing to the unpropitious weather of the first season, and 
change of residence of some who were a little experienced in Field 
Botany, many of the members who had not previously studied the 
subject were discouraged, and have not given the assistance they 
would under other circumstances have rendered. 
