ANNUAL ADDRESS. 
17 
all those who had kindred interests, and the members of this 
Society will have felt proud that their good work was thus recognised 
and such high honour paid to them. About 400 invitations were 
accepted to that gathering, held on May 8th, the day that saw the 
50 years of the Society's existence brought to a completion, and 
the neighbouring societies of the Cotteswold Field Club, and the 
Cardiff Naturalists' Society sent their chief representatives with 
messages of congratulation and encouragement, whilst numerous 
former members, who have risen to high rank in the world of 
Science, wrote their gratification at the vigorous scientific life we 
are still maintaining. 
After a pleasant Jubilee excursion into the country in the 
summer, the University of Bristol was not behindhand in offering 
us encouragement, and it is fresh in your memory the kindness of 
the authorities in giving us the use of the Great Hall, to enable 
the members to hold a large exhibition of Natural History objects 
whereby they could see and compare notes of the long continued 
and persistent accumulation of varied collections. 
We must feel gratified with the success of our Jubilee cele- 
brations, and I believe it will long remain in the memories of 
those who took part. We can start the New Year with the know- 
ledge of our aims spread amongst a greater number of people, and 
can expect to gain new recruits, of which we have already had 
signs, to carry on the work. 
You do not want me to dwell longer on the events connected 
with the Society, because its history has been ably written about 
by a past President, but I should like to take the opportunity to 
speak on "Some Historical Associations of Flowers," that may 
tend to give more than a passing interest to some of our familiar 
plants, especially amongst those who are not already full of 
botanical lore. 
From the earliest historic ages flowers have mingled with the 
deeds, and alas ! misdeeds of man, and in all times they have been 
associated with the soldier, the government and the arts. Thus 
the patriot was crowned with Oak, the hero and the poet with Bay, 
and beauty with the Myrtle, whilst Peace had her Olive branch. 
But it is not of this aspect that I wish to speak. As a more 
scientific spirit has grown up in modern times it has been recog- 
nised that flowers are products of Nature, fashioned to take part 
in the struggle for existence and to adapt themselves to- their 
surroundings, and much of the old romance attached to them has 
lost its interest. 
On the other hand, however, the important events of history 
have become incorporated in the life of the nations, and the factors 
that have had a share in those events cannot be lightly put on 
one side. Amongst such factors certain flowers may have in the 
beginning played only a sentimental part, but in the course of 
centuries have served as a strong force in subsequent events. 
This is evident when we remember how, even of recent years, 
B 
