154 ANNUAL MEETING — GENERAL BUSINESS. 



forays, which have a European reputation, are attended by large numbers 

 of the leading students of mycology. The club is also engaged on an im- 

 portant work now in course of publication — " The Herefordshire Pomona " 

 — a work of great national value. Two parts have already been issued, 

 full of matter of the deepest interest to all who are engaged in fruit- 

 growing, whether in orchards or gardens, and both have been lavishly 

 illustrated by woodcuts and coloured portraits of apples and pears whicb, 

 whether regarded as works of art, or as contributions to tbe stores of 

 knowledge respecting our hardy fruits, are deserving of hearty commen- 

 dation and support. It is no small thing for one of our provincial 

 societies to have projected and so far carried towards completion a work 

 of such importance to the country at large, involving, as it has done and 

 must continue to do for several years to come, a vast amount of careful 

 and painstaking labour, and a considerable expenditure of money. 

 Part III. of the Pomona, giving coloured drawings of 40 different 

 varieties of fruit, is nearly ready for publication, and Part IV., which 

 will be issued next year, is in preparation. Three other parts, one to be 

 issued annually, will, it is believed, complete the work. For the 

 information of members who may desire to possess copies of this 

 valuable book, your Council beg to state that Mr. J. Beginald Symonds, 

 Bridge Street, Hereford, will, on application, send a prospectus of the 

 scope of the work ; terms on whicb it may be had, &c. 



It will be in the remembrance of the members that at the Birming- 

 ham meeting of the Union a resolution was passed referring to the Council 

 a request to consider whether the subject of the glacial drift deposits is not 

 one well adapted for conjoint observation by the Societies in the Union. 

 It was subsequently unanimously agreed to ask the co-operation of all the 

 Societies in dealing with the subject, and some interesting papers having 

 a bearing on it have from time to time appeared in the Societies' journal ; 

 but for some unexplained reason the amount of practical work yet done 

 has so far been much smaller than your Council had reason to anticipate. 

 Mr. W. J. Harrison, who suggested the subject, has laboured zealously 

 to get it taken up, with what results will be gathered from the following 

 communication : — 



"Leicester, May, 1880. 

 " Glacial Dhift of the Midlands. 



" In answer to the enquiry of the Hon. Sees, of the Midland Union of 

 Scientific Societies as to the work done in connection with this question, 

 I can only mention the following points : — 



" (1.) Two important papers by Mr. D. Mackintosh, of Liverpool, 

 have been read before the Geological Society of London, referring 

 mainly to the Drift of the West Midlands ; other notes have appeared 

 in the ' Midland Naturalist,' in the Beport of the British 

 Association, and in those of some of the local societies. It is very 

 necessary that the facts stated in these reports should be examined 

 and confirmed by other workers. 



" (2.) I have sent out to various individuals and societies thirteen 



typical sets of the rocks of Charnwood Forest, for comparison with 



the boulders which may occur in their neighbourhood ; and have 



corresponded with various members upon the subject. 



" It seems to me, however, tbat some decided stimulus to work is 



needed ; the study of the Glacial Drift is now ripe for decision ; it was 



the first subject taken up by the Union, and, if the Council could see any 



way of encouraging work on the question, I should be thankful. 



"W. Jerome Harrison, F.G.S." 



