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Exch. Club which he joined that year. His longer papers on 
British plants referred to above dealt chiefly with the British 
Pansies, and latterly he wrote also on Arenaria serpyllifolia, 
Veronica agrestis, Ranunculus acris and R. bulbosus, Crepis 
and Valeriana. 
Drabble was elected F.L.S. in 1902, and after the death of 
C. E. Salmon he kindly consented in 1930 to act as a referee 
of this Club. He also became a subscribing member again, 
for his earlier membership did not last more than ten years. 
But there were few years since 1907 when we have not had 
the benefit of his useful notes. 
He and I had never met, but of recent years I enjoyed his 
letters more and more ; and it is not surprising to read in 
Mr. Pugsley’s notice in Journ. Bot. 1933, p. 319, (from which 
we are allowed to quote freely), that “ his pleasant humour 
and generous help to correspondents brought him a large 
number of friends.” Nor were his interests entirely confined 
to botany, “ for he was a lover of English literature and always 
keenly interested in the Northern Polytechnic Operatic 
Society. He Avas a zealous Anglo-Catholic.” 
To his widow, who often collaborated in his botanical work, 
we are indebted for the loan of an excellent portrait. 
H.S.T. 
Notes on the History of the 
WATSON BOTANICAL EXCHANGE CLUB 
(1884-1934). 
The Watson Botanical Exchange Club was formed in 
December, 1884, chiefly by the initiative of A. R. Waller of 
York and later of Cambridge, and Arthur Bennett of Croydon, 
the first Referee. It was of course named in honour of Hewett 
Cottrell Watson (1804-1881) who published so much on 
British Topographical Botany. 
Early in January, 1885, members were invited to send dried 
plants for the first exchange, which took place in February. 
Twenty-five parcels containing about 2,250 sheets of specimens 
were received. The study of critical species ivas a main 
object from the start. Prof. Babington, James Backhouse 
(1825—1890), and the Re\^. J. E. Leefe respectively “ identified 
several doubtful specimens of Rubus, Hieracium, and Salix.” 
Members were asked “ to keep a good look out for any plants 
