PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. Ixv. 



Beach, but does not grow upon the seaside, but on the shore 

 of the Fleet backwater and on the Weymouth side of the parts 

 of the beach between the Ferry Bridge and Portland, so 

 that it has not here the opportunity of doing much towards 

 stabilising or preventing movement of the shingle. I should 

 myself have thought that, of the Chesil Beach plants, Atriplex 

 portulacoides, growing as it does in large flat masses, would 

 have had more effect than Suceda, but I am not acquainted 

 with this plant elsewhere. The sterilising of soil is now carried 

 on by many plant growers, and enables the same soil to be 

 used over again for potting or otherwise, after being either 

 heated or treated with an antiseptic. It is also said to greatly 

 increase the productiveness of the soil. Those organisms 

 which are harmful to the beneficial ammonia-producing 

 bacilli are wholly or partially killed, whilst the bacilli, which 

 I presume are mostly killed too, seem to return and thrive 

 all the more until their enemies again increase, which takes a 

 much longer period. Experiments on the growth of the hop 

 shew that this is greatest from 3.0 p.m. to 9.0 p.m. and least 

 from 9.0 p.m. to 3.0 a.m., the converse having been believed 

 to be the case by the Kent growers. Attention is called to the 

 action of seed-eating birds as weed dispersers, through so many 

 seeds passing through them uninjured. I can confirm this in 

 my own garden, specially as regards the bramble, seedlings of 

 which appear yearly in great numbers under trees in which 

 birds are much in the habit of sitting or roosting. Other 

 weeds away from their parent plants are doubtless frequently 

 due to this cause where the seeds have no special arrangement 

 like dandelions for being carried by wind. Steps are being 

 taken to extend the growth of flax, for which this country is 

 suitable and which is much more valuable than some years 

 ago. British tobacco on the other hand does not seem to 

 find much favour, its quality at one large show being ex- 

 pressively demonstrated in the remark that it was very 

 suitable for fumigation ! Probably, however, it would be 

 very dependent on our variable seasons. A National Botanic 

 Garden has been established at Cape Town, and a very suitable 



