ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT, 



ME, ADOLPHUS COLLENETTE, F.C.S. 



Ladies and Gentlemen, 



The year we now complete has not, as you will have 

 gathered from the sectional reports, been an idle one. Every 

 section has added to our store of knowledge, and if we grant 

 that more might have been done, still we, as a society, have 

 reason to be proud of what has been done. 



I do not think it desirable that I should pass in review 

 the work of the Society as a whole, even if I felt competent 

 to do so, but there are a few thoughts to which I should like 

 to give voice, before I plunge into the main subject of this 

 address. 



The Society has, as you know, worked this year almost 

 entirely by means of its systematic excursions, and any good 

 that has been accomplished has to be credited to these excur- 

 sions. To Mr. Derrick, I think, we owe this method of work. 

 It will be remembered that that gentleman tried, years ago, to 

 get walking parties to go and see this or that place of interest 

 and to get botanical members to unite for rambles on given 

 days. He succeeded and worked, by means of the pressure of 

 his individual influence, a fair number of informal excursions. 

 The Society then woke up to the value of this method of 

 work and organised systematic excursions. These have been 

 so arranged that the whole island will be examined in detail 

 in the course of time. 



Excursions are not, however, equally valuable to all 

 sections, and it frequently happens that what will suit one 

 study will not another, but, take them as a whole, I think that 

 the success of this Society has been largely due to them, and 

 I press on the Society the importance of continuing excursions 

 with energy and vigour. 



In reviewing the events of the year we find that we have 

 to regret the loss of our late president, who has left the island 

 since our last anniversary meeting. Mr. E. D. Marquand is 

 an earnest and enthusiastic botanist, and he has left his mark 

 on the record of our doings. He will always be associated with 

 the prosperous and successful period which the Society has 



