224 ANNIVERSARY ADDRESS 



By the kindness of my predecessor my appointment was 

 made on the very day, when, at the conclusion of five 

 years' experience in that capacity, I found it prudent to 

 retire from the honourable post of Organizing Secretary, 

 which I had the satisfaction of handing over to a capable 

 and devoted successor. For having thus consented, at 

 all events for the present, to discharge the duties of both 

 Editing and Organizing Secretary, and for the efScient 

 manner in which he has discharged them, the Rev. J. J. 

 M. L. Aiken has earned and, I am quite certain, is the 

 recipient of, the gratitude and thanks of all our members. 

 Although my own official connection with the Club has 

 come to an end, my interest of course has not. It 

 terminates because, at the age of seventy-five, I am 

 sensible that I ain no longer capable of taking the active 

 and responsible part which an official ought to, and which 

 younger men may take ; so, in future, I must be content, 

 in the rote of " esteemed local member," with offi^ring 

 whatever advice and assistance I can, and when I can, 

 which I shall always most gladly do. 



Our past season has been on the whole an enjoyable 

 and successful one. I regretted my inability to attend 

 the opening meeting, for an account of which, as well, 

 indeed, as for an account of the whole of our meetings, 

 I am dependent upon our Secretary's competent pen. 

 The botanical feature of this year has been Mr Aiken's 

 discovery in two places of a Carex new to our district, 

 of which he will give you a description, and for which 

 I offer our congratulations as an interesting find, and 

 a useful record for our pages. We have to chronicle, 

 I regret to say, the deaths of seven members, namely •' 

 Francis C. Crawford, Archibald M. Dunlop, John Dent, 

 Capt. Lockhart, James Nisbet, Lawrence Morley Ciossman, 

 and General Boswell ; of one honorary, Miss Langlands ; 

 and one associate, William Shaw. Major Crossman's 

 sudden demise at such a comparatively early age, and 

 so soon after the interesting and important gatherings 



