21 
Hunter, the collection increased from the 
accretions of their botanising expeditions 
and the skilled propagation of the rarer 
plants. The veronicas received their full 
share of attention, and selections from them 
have time and again been exhibited at the 
Trnedin Horticultural Association’s shows. 
The late Mr Matthews and his skilled 
ec-adjutor Mr M‘Intyre, have been 
instrumental in fostering a taste in 
recent years for the cultivation 
of those of our native plants which 
are suitable for rockery and shrubbery and 
flower border. Contemporaneous with their 
efforts, however, in this part of New Zea- 
land have been those of other enthusiasts, 
among whom may be placed in the fore- 
front Mr Poppelwell and Mr Speden, of 
Gore, and Messrs Hart and Darton, of 
Lawrence, the latter two gentlemen confin- 
ing their work entirely to gathering to- 
gether what it may safely be affirmed 1s 
the fincst and most complete collection of 
the genus veronica to be found in Ncuw 
Zealand. Mr W. A. Thomson, of Half-way 
Bush, 1s another intelligent enthusiast in 
the same field, and in the charming grounds 
of the family home there are to be found 
many interesting and attractive forms of 
our native vegetation. 
Fo * * * 
Mr Poppelwell and Mr Speden. 
I have already mentioned Mr Poppelwell 
and Mr Speden, who have both been in- 
dustrious collectors in the Otago and South- 
land mountains. Recently I had the plea- 
sure of paying a visit to their respective 
gardens and of inspecting their treasures. 
Mr Poppelwell’s rockery contained many 
interesting plants—celmisias, veronicas, and 
aciphyllas predominating. Mr Speden was 
absent on one of his favourite excursions— 
this time far afield: no less than to the 
valley of the Hollyford, in that little fre- 
quenied bush-clad region which stretches 
away to the West Coast traversed by tha 
famous expedition of the late Mr Vincent 
Pyke in the early goldfields days. Mr 
Poppelwell courteously undertook the duty 
of showing our party over Mr Speden’s 
