1900-1901.] 62t 



Of -what we consider our fairest of spolia, 



Menziesia to wit, species polifolia. | 



Then you stretch your cramped legs, you stroll off a short way, 



And lo ! there's the heath that is named Mackay ; 



Or perchance you may find (you know it most rare is) 



Another heath bearing the name Ciliaris ; 



Or even by luck, one outrivalling any- a 



Bush of the Erica Mediterranea. 



Then look in that ditch, there's a prize for Herbaria, 



The true intermediate LJtricularia. 



You will know it, without any flower or fruit, 



13y the groups of small bladders apart from the root. 



Then in casting your fly you hook into a weed — 



Draw it in — why, what is it ? a rush or a reed ? 



No, the treasure yau've hooked in that cast so unwary 



Is the Eriocaulan Septangulare ! 



When the salmon have baffled your patience and skill, 



Take half a day off, and walk over tne hill, 



And there on the rocks (it's no fiction or phantom) 



Grows the real unmistakeable Adiantum. 



"While in that little lake which the sea breezes fall on, 



All full of lobelia and Eriocatilon 



(In vain the green depths of its waters defy us), 



With a gaff we secure the much coveted Naias. 



Nov, I think my dear Fowler, I've well proved my case, 



That this is a most undeniable place ; 



And once more I wish you were with me to fish up 



Big trout and rare plants ! — Your affectionate Bishop. 



Mr. Lowe, in his book on 50 years experience in fern grow- 

 ing, says — among those who devoted themselves to what has 

 been termed fern hunting, i.e. } a search in order to discover 



new wild varieties, none have been so successful as . A 



long list of names, of whom only 6 are now alive ; two of whom 

 are members of this Club, Mr. R. L. Praeger and myself 

 And I may mention that this book of Mr. Lowe's has many 

 references to my work, and in his " British Ferns and Where 

 Found" he has made 70 references to me and described many 

 of my finds. 



As I have mentioned, fern hunting of wild varieties was, up 

 to a recent period, the only way in which novelties and varieties 

 could be had. In 1858 experiments were made in crossing, 

 and in 1867 it became an acknowledged fact that ferns could 

 be crossed ; experiments had for some time been going on 

 in this direction, but the results were generally discredited until 

 then. Mr. E. J. Lowe and Colonel Jones were the first to 



