152 ____ THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST a ee. 
Our Quarterly Journal has been edited by Mr. T. Steel, 
F.L.S., with great zeal and ability. We are greatly indebted 
to this gentleman for the interest he has taken in this 
work. Under his able guidance we hope to see the Society’s 
organ a power in the scientific world of New South Wales 
in the future. The library is now practically catalogued, 
thanks to the labours of our Librarian and President, Mr. 
Cheel; and during the coming year should be a source of 
help to our members. 
One of the great features of our meetings has been 
the rare and numerous exhibits which members have shown, 
There has been a most marked improvement in this direc- 
tion during the year. 
The Flora Society, in conjunction with our own, held 
an excursion at Brownsville, Illawarra, during the Easter 
holidays. This proved to be a great success, and was at- 
tended by about fifty members. 
The amalgamation of our Club with the Flora Society 
has occupied the attention of your Council, and the fusion 
of the two Societies into the Naturalists’ Society of New 
South Wales has been accomplished, and we shall start the 
New Year as a united body under the new title. 
E. S. EDWARDS, Hon. Secretary. 
BOTANY IN RELATION TO AGRICULTURE. 
(Abstract of Presidential Address by Edwin Cheel, Botani- 
cal Assistant, National Herbarium, August 6th, 1912.) 
The word “botany” is of Greek origin, and refers to 
any kind of herb, grass, or tree, no matter how small, or 
_ how large, or whether they are found wild on land, in fresh 
water, or in the ocean, or are cultivated by the horticulturist, 
orchardist, agriculturist, or forester; every form of plant is 
included in that great branch of Biology, known as the 
Science of Botany. In its broadest sense, it comprises 
many subordinate branches of the study, each with a dis- 
tinctive terminology. A few special branches which may 
be mentioned are :— 
Cytology, which is the science of the cell and its de- 
velopment; Morphology, which is a study of the external 
form of the plant; Anatomy, or Histology, which is a study 
of the tissues or structure of plants and of their organs, | 
and the relation of such organs one to another; Physiology, — 
C—O EEE LLL mh 
