REPORT FOR 1889 — 1890. 



The number of specimens received this year for distribution 

 is, I regret to say, little more than half that of last year, being 

 1944 against 3802 and the number of members contributing has 

 fallen from 26 to 21. I hope this falling off is due, less to a 

 flagging interest in the members, than to the filling up of gaps 

 in their collections and the list of desiderata being thereby 

 curtailed. 



There is a very marked difference in the care bestowed by 

 members in pressing and preserving their specimens, and with. 

 some there is much room for improvement. I am glad to be 

 able to send to all an example of what may be done with such 

 refractory plants as the /^udi, those sent by Mr. J. T. Powell 

 being models of neatness and worthy a place in anyone's 

 cabinet. 



It would very much facilitate the work of the distributor if 

 the desiderata were marked in the catalogues with a little more 

 care, and always with black ink, and each specimen sent should 

 be on a separate sheet of paper with its accompanying label. 



There are no Batrachian Ranujiculi sent this year, very few 

 Hieracia, two specimens of a Potamogeton, but few Cai'ices, two 

 species of Chai-a, and not a single fern. Some of the members 

 however have evidently turned good attention to the Rubi and 

 Rosae ^xidi to a lesser extent to the Salic es. 



I have submitted a specimen of every plant, with the exception 

 of the Rubi, to Mr. A. Bennett together with the whole of the 

 Rosae, and these latter have also been carefully examined by 

 Mr. J. G. Baker of the Kew Herbarium. Professor Babington 

 has also again gone over the whole of the Rubi and given his 

 opinion upon them. It is difficult to express the obligation the 

 Club is under to these gentlemen for their valuable assistance 

 as Referees. 



There are a few plants remaining over from the distribution, 



