CORRESPONDENCE. 155 
however, been again reminded of the circumstance, by seeing in the last num- 
ber of the * Natural History Review’ a short article on the same subject, by 
H. C. Watson. I shall therefore, without more delay, endeavour to record my 
story, which establishes the fact that our common Ling Heath is found in 
Newfoundland. 
In the year 1852 Mr. Ensor, of Dublin, brought to me from Newfoundland 
a number of plants of Sarracenia purpurea, and along with them two tufts of 
the common Ling Heath, which he told me grew in considerable quantities on a 
grew, and is still living in this garden. It is what we would call a slender- 
growing variety if found in Britain, and what is more remarkable, either from 
being long accustomed to be covered with snow in winter, or from being naturally 
The Horticultural Society’s Prizes for County Herbaria. 
The Council of the Horticultural Society offers prize medals for the best 
'eounty-collections of dried British plants, as reported in the *Journal of 
Botany, No. XV. p. 96. These prizes are stated to be * for the encouragement 
of the study of scientific botany amongst all classes." This avowed purpose 
can hardly be held otherwise than a commendable and desirable end to be at- 
tained, whatever may be thought of the means by which it is sought to be 
effected 
ected, 
Professor Babington decidedly objects to the prizes, on grounds sufficiently 
explained by himself on page 124 of the succeeding number of the Journal ; 
causing the extirpation of our rarest plants. No doubt the great majority of 
scientific botanists will concur with Professor Babington in deprecating any 
such encouragement to extirpation, if this must be expected as a probable con- 
sequence. The Professor appears to assume that “best” collections will be 
understand to mean those which contain examples of the rarest or most local 
species; and that is undoubtedly the usual reading of the adjective when ap- 
plied to herbariums. : 
But is there no modification or middle course which may still educe the 
good results expected from the offer of these prizes, and yet avoid the ill con- 
sequences apprehended? It seems easy enough to hit upon a plan which will 
suit the dilemma, by keeping the good and eliminating the ill tendencies. Sup- 
pose that the prizes are offered for a fixed number (say 300 or 400) of the 
commoner species of the county; the tests of goodness being the completeness 
and condition of the specimens, the correctness of their nomenclature, ete. ; but 
rare or very local species not being counted at all, or (better) expressly 
bidden. Common plants are just as suitable for botanical study as rarities, 
even more suitable for young botanists. And as common plants are attainable 
