20 



and the late Mr. William Archer — but it would be a mis- 

 take to suppose that their efforts, not to go back to those 

 of Robert Brown, Sir Joseph Banks, Solander, Cunning. 

 ham, Labillardiere, Hooker, Bidwell, and others — have 

 exhausted the field ; on the contrary no country affords 

 a more favourable opening for further researches, and it 

 would be well if students would satisfy themselves that 

 such is the case, and even should the gleaners' toil fail in 

 discovering many new species in Tasmania, yet our 

 knowledge of the habits of actually discovered plants is 

 but limited. Little is known about the fertilisation of 

 Tasmanian plants. I need not remind you of the curious 

 contrivances by which the fertilisation of the ovary of some 

 plants is contrived, and especial interest attaches to orders 

 such as Orchidese, Protacese, and Filices, which exist 

 abundantly in this colony. Dr. Bentham, the distinguished 

 President of the Linnaan society, especially commends to 

 the attention of Australian botanists the fertilisation of the 

 ovary of Goodenovieie. Again, how little is known of the 

 medicinal and economic uses of our plants. Baron von 

 Miieller and Dr. Schomburgk, of Adelaide, have devoted 

 much attention to that point in Australia. Observations 

 on the structure of plants in their various parts, 

 and the action of their juices, must also be a fascinating 

 pursuit. I remember, years ago, being much pleased 

 with a collection of wax models, showing the leaf and 

 stem anatomy of plants and their cellular structure, 

 in the museum of Florence in Italy. It has ever 

 since seemed to me to be a most interesting object of 

 study. The preceding remarks will, I trust, have illus- 

 trated the view I have proposed to you, and have shown 

 that it is in the power of many of us to add our mite 

 towards the solution of many very important scientific 

 problems. It would, moreover, be easy to show how the 

 habit of close observation of nature adds to our pleasure 

 and refines our minds. Not a living creature, not a leaf, 

 not a shell, but may be studied with profit and pleasure — 

 " the lilies of the field, how they grow ! '' There is a 

 charm about the mere love of simple nature that seems 

 like an electric fluid to pervade and purify the spirit of its 

 devotees, and to open itself in their writings — such is the 

 charm that runs through the essays of Waterton and his 

 Wanderings and Autobiography, that breathes in the 

 works of White, of SelbornC; and of old Izaak Walton, a 



