1853] First Exchange-parcel of Plants. 31 



also suffered from the meadow having been mowed just as 

 the large bracts were raising themselves." Indeed, it 

 could scarcely be doubted that the plant's survival under 

 such conditions was quite precarious ; and seven years 

 later, when writing the outlines of insular " Natural His- 

 tory " for Stanford's " Guide to the Isle of Wight," all he 

 could say of the Carisbrook site was to express a hope 

 that " at the western side of the hill Cyperus longus may 

 perhaps still exist." * 



He now showed better signs of restored health, and 

 utilized the few remaining weeks of summer with such 

 good effect that, as the net result of his first season's col- 

 lecting, he was able to forward for distribution through 

 the Edinburgh Society a packet containing as many as 

 1500 plants: no light achievement when it is recollected 

 what an invalid he had been throughout all the best part 

 of the collector's year. 



* In contrast may be quoted from another page of the same little manual his 

 description of a spot near the southernmost point of the island where "half-way 

 down towards the shore grows the rare Cyperus longus, so zealously preserved 

 by the owner of the land ; within the little fence which encloses it will be found 

 quite a jungle of Cyperus, recalling in size and elegance the papyrus of the green- 

 bouses ; with it Juncus obtusiflorus is equally plentiful, and Mentha rotundifolia 

 fringes the stream." 



