1889.] President'' s Address. Iv 



Marloth. In fact out of the 102 species therein enumerated thirty- 

 one had never been previously recorded as occurring in the Cape 

 Peninsula and of these fifteen were new to science. The book is 

 enriched with thirty-six exquisite drawings, partly coloured, of orchids 

 which, with the exception of four or five, have never been previously 

 figured. The immense value of these drawings makes us wish the 

 whole series might have been illustrated in the same way, but the 

 funds of the Society I am sorry to say will not allow of the expenditure, 

 although Messrs. Peringuey & Bolus have borne a large amount of 

 the cost of these plates themselves. Such papers as these, the result 

 of patient work and a profound knowledge of their subject, will 

 enable our Society to take a high rank among the scientific societies 

 of the world. 



During the period I am, reviewing the presence of Phylloxera 

 Vastatrix was detected at the Cape and we have heard now and 

 again from Mr. Peringuey of the progress made in checking it. 

 Knowing, as we do, Mr. Peringuey's profound knowledge of Ento- 

 mology it is no surprise to find that his treatment of the Phylloxera 

 and precautions against its spread have received the most unqualified 

 approval from the expert who was invited to report on them in 

 deference to the clamour of an ignorant public. I wonder when the 

 people of this colony will understand that a man who has devoted 

 the best part of his life to a particular study and has attained a 

 reputation in it knows more about it than the hundred and one 

 amateurs who with only a most superficial acquaintance with the 

 subject are ever ready to give their opinion. 



Looking at the position of our Society generally 1 think we may 

 feel satisfied, but not more than satisfied. Oar numbers have 

 increased during the last year, but on the average they remain much 

 the same. Owing to the meetings being held in Cape Town the 

 Society is chiefly composed of members who reside there, in fact only 

 ten per cent, of our members reside at any distance from Cape Town. 

 Now this is not as it should be ; are there no lovers of science at 

 \Stellenbosch, where we have not a single member, Graham's Town or 

 Port Elizabeth ? There is, however, a reason for our not numbering 

 many members outside Cape Town, and that is that the subscription 

 is the same for all ordinary members irrespective of place of residence. 

 Consequently a would-be member living at a distance 'finds that he 

 <}annot attend the meetings but that he can buy the Society's Trans- 

 actions for a few shillings and so he does not join the Society. I 



