THE SECOND ANNUAL REPORT 
OF THE 
1897 . 
In presenting the Second Annual Report I think I may con¬ 
gratulate the members on a year of steady progress. 
Seven new members have joined, and one withdrawn, which 
brings the number up to 29. A number of others who have 
written to me have not seen their way to join us for two reasons, 
1st—The majority being beginners, and not having any stock for 
exchange, or considering that the Club would not be of much 
service to them in naming their finds, prefer to wait till they have 
made more advance in the study. 2nd—Some residing outside 
the British Isles find that the Society offers no opportunity for the 
exchange of foreign and continental plants. 
Perhaps in the future separate sections may be formed to work 
these branches ; a “ Beginners’ Section,” with frequent exchanges 
and help in naming oftener than once a year, and a “ Foreign 
Section.” Perhaps some members may be induced to take up and 
organise such branches Meanwhile I have the following sug¬ 
gestions to make. Let us form three lists. I.—Those who wish to 
exchange British for non-British mosses. II.—“ Helpers,” who 
will undertake to assist beginners from time to time to name their 
plants, the sender paying postage both ways. It is not necessary 
to be a first class authority to give much help of this kind, and it is 
not right that the time of referees (first class Bryologists) should 
be taken up sorting and naming common things, which is so often 
a thankless task. Too often one who knows nothing of the subject 
will not be content unless he has his plants named by the “ very 
best authority.” These remarks of course have no reference to 
critical species. III.—A list of those who wish for help in naming 
their plants. 
The 1897 Distribution :— 
24 members contributed 2163 Mosses and 104 Hepaticse, besides 
28 plants sent in to be named ; 2295 in all. 
It should be noted that the number of packets sent in by each 
member is scarcely a fair test of the value of the contribution, 
since some of the specimens were very small and scrappy. 
