142 



the Club, to be appended to the Botanical history, and printed with the other 

 documents already selected for that purpose. 



On the suggestion of the Rev. W. S. Symonds, seconded by Dr. Bull, and 

 supported by several other members, the Rev. J. F. Crouch, Vicar of Pembridge, 

 an active and accomplished botanist, was elected President for the ensuing year, 

 and took the Chair accordingly. 



The Field Meetings were fixed : for June, at Malvern ; for July, at Eardisley ; 

 and for August, at Ludlow. The subject of a bye-day to be devoted to a meeting 

 at Bromyard, was discussed, but left for future consideration. 



The Hon. Secretary was unanimously re-elected. 



It was resolved that the prize (a gold pencil-case) for the best Herbarium 

 of plants collected in Herefordshire during the 3'ear, be again given through the 

 medium of the Herefordshire Horticultural Society, there being no restriction 

 as to district. 



After some further routine business had been disposed of, the following 

 paper was read on 



AN INCIDENT OF BOTANICAL HISTORY. 



By Flavell Edmunds. 



An incident in the botanical history of the district around Hereford, which 

 may be useful as an indication of one of the kinds of service which I think our 

 Club might with advantage render towards the advancement of the natiural 

 history of the county, form.s the theme of this brief paper. I allude to the sudden 

 appearance of certain plants in localities where, as my frequent previous examina- 

 tions had convinced me, they had not grown for at least some years past. 



In the course of last autumn, the embankments, spoil-heaps, and cuttings 

 of the railways attracted my attention from the fact that one day at Widemarsh, 

 I found a plant growing in the embankment of the diverted turn-pike road. 

 I did not at first recognise it, as it merely showed its root-leaves, but on handling 

 it, the peculiar smell left by the leaves recalled it to my recollection as Hyoscyamus 

 niger, or common henbane. I then remembered that my friend. Dr. Bull, had 

 told me some time ago that that plant occasionally made its appearance at 

 Widemarsh, on any extensive stirring of the soil, but soon disappeared again. 

 I at once carefully examined aU the other embankments, and on the spoil-heaps 

 near Widemarsh Mill I discovered no less than 40 other plants, none of which, 

 however, had thrown up stems, or advanced much beyond the stage at which I 

 found the first, although some of them were very luxuriant in root-leaves. I 

 observed the plants carefully, visiting them several times a week until the winter 

 set in, when, partly from the frost, and partly from the deposits of fresh heaps 

 of earth, I suddenly lost sight of them. Perhaps the fact that I mentioned them 

 to a druggist may have had something to do with the disappesurance of the leaves 

 at least. Next spring, perhaps, the plants may re-appear. The nearest spot 



