3 



bered that no collecting trip could be taken this year or the 

 increase would have been greater, still many specimens are due 

 to us, and will be received in due course. The first part of 

 vol. VI of Natal Plants was published in May, and I hope 

 shortly to commence the second part of the volume. The 

 Revised List of the Order Asclepiadaceae which was omitted 

 in the list published last year as stated in the preface has now 

 been completed and will shortly be published by the Royal 

 Society of South Africa, and it is to be hoped as a separate 

 part, so that it can be bound along wifch the main portion of 

 the Revised List. 



Since the publication of the part of the Flora Capensis 

 completing the Order Asclepiadaceae, my assistant Miss Franks 

 has been engaged in going over the whole of our specimens of 

 the Order ; flowers of almost every specimen had to be dissected, 

 since many of the species cannot be separated without careful 

 comparison of the flowers ; now, on one sheet of every species 

 Miss Franks has affixed an enlarged drawing of the minute 

 organs, the great differences which occur in them is the chief 

 reason why the identification of these plants is so difficult ; this 

 work has now been very well done, and reflects much credit 

 on Miss Franks as a botanical artist, and in comparing new 

 additions to the Order it will not now be necessary to mutilate 

 the specimens, many of which are types of the species. 



Though as previously stated no collecting trip could be 

 taken during the year, we have still a large number of dupli- 

 cate specimens on hand, and parcels are being sent away to 

 correspondents as time can be spared for the purpose, and 

 parcels are received in exchange which after being examined 

 and poisoned are added to the collection, but this, of course 

 cannot last very much longer, and it would be most unfortunate 

 if our exchanges should have to cease for want of material. 



I submit the audited balance sheet for the year, and 

 remain 



Your obedient servant, 



J. Medley Wood, 



Director. 



