56 The South Australian Naturalist. 



barbata, with its curious device for entrapping insects tempor- 

 arily, covering them with pollen, and so fertilising the flowers 

 of their species, was pointed out and its mechanism explained. 



It was mentioned that owing to want of time the party 

 was not able to reach the altitudinal zone where the semi- 

 arborescent ferns existed. I think this must refer to Osmunda 

 barbara, which, I remember, used to grow in Waterfall Gully 

 (Burnside), but is now, I think, extinct there. 



On returning to town the party went to Beach's to tea, 

 after which the Professor addressed the members. He thought 

 this sitting down for tea together was a satisfactory way of 

 making members better acquainted with each other. He re- 

 ferred to the way the afternoon had been spent — by various 

 members in various ways — but by all in intellectual recrea- 

 tion, and thought this was a much better way of spending the 

 time than by remaining all day in a hot and dusty town. He 

 had met about fifteen ardent students of natural history during 

 the afternoon, and expressed his and their willingness to 

 impart any information in their power. 



At this first excursion was inaugurated the practice of 

 travelling second class on the train, partly to study economy, 

 partly that no one should ever feel deterred from going on 

 the f^^'ound of expense, and further to show that no matter 

 what their social position might be outside, all the members 

 were on the same footing when they went out together. 



It is, perhaps, owing in no small measure to this plan that 

 the excursions of the Section have alv»^ays been noted for their 

 sociability, and for the pleasant interchange of opinion on 

 matters scientific and otherwise. 



ROCK AND ALPINE GARDENING ON THE PLAINS. 



By Dr. R. H. Pulleine. 



In building a rock garden for alpine plants we have to 

 recognize that the principles of plant culture under alpine 

 conditions are very different from those of the ordinary 

 garden. In the latter the aim is to get the richest soil and 

 grow the plants to their maximum size by means of fertilizers 

 and free watering. In the alpine garden, on the contrary, we 

 try to regulate the conditions so that the stunted form of the 

 plant is obtaiiied in many a pulvinate or cushion-like growth. 

 We can do this by using suitable soil and controlling the 

 water supply. Alpine plants covered by snow in the winter 

 get their moisture as a rule from the evening or early morning 

 mists, and we must supply the mist. 



