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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
VISIT TO THE SOUTH LONDON BOTANICAL INSTITUTE
(619th MEETING).
Saturday, 15th January, 1927.
A small party of members assembled at 3 o'clock at the above
Institute, 323, Norwood Road, Herne Hill, S.E., this being the Club's
third visit to the Institution. The previous visits were on 17th July,
1915, and 27th May, 1916, and the Report of the earliest visit, given
in the Essex Naturalist, xviii., p. 115, may be profitably consulted
for a detailed account of the Institution.
The party was received and welcomed in the Library by Mr. W. R.
Sherrin, A.L.S., the Curator, who gave a short account of the foundation
and endowment of the Institution, in 1910, by the late Allan O. Hume,
C.B., F.L.S., F.Z.S., for the purpose of encouraging the study of botany
in South London. Mr. Sherrin added some interesting biographical
details of the founder, and spoke of his many benefactions and of certain
idiosyncrasies which distinguished him. The Institute possesses some
260 members at the present time, who pay half-a-crown yearly sub-
scription, and for that sum have the privilege of consulting the extensive
herbaria and Library possessed by the Institute, as well as of attending
the numerous lectures there given.
A tour of inspection was made by the visitors under Mr. Sherrin's
guidance. In the Lecture Room, where a framed photograph of the
founder hangs in the place of honour over the fireplace, accommodation
can be provided for 60, or even 70, students at lectures. This room also
houses an index-collection of British flowering-plants arranged for easy
access, and other rooms contain a complete collection of the same, as
well as collections of alien-plants, of British cryptogams (ferns, mosses,
hepatics and lichens) and an extensive seedling collection of phanerogams.
AU these several herbaria are stored in japanned iron cases of special
construction, adapted for easy access or expeditious removal.
A small rear room is used as the Curator's workroom, while on the
upper floor (where, later, tea was served) a large herbarium of European
phanerogams is ranged round the walls.
In the conservatory at rear of the house a collection of living ferns,
mosses and hepatics thrives in pots, and includes some uncommon forms.
The garden is laid out in formal beds in which various wild-plants
are grown for the use of students, and a special feature is an artificial
cement-lined pond, fed by rainwater from the house-roof, in which many
interesting water-plants are grown in sunken baskets or pots, including
Lobelia Dortmanna, Isoetes lacustris, Subularia aquatica, Sparganium
neglectum, Butomus umbellatus, and many others. The overflow from
the pond irrigates a surrounding marshy tract in which flourish the
Royal Fern, Ranunculus flammula, Astrantia major, Carex elongata
and many another marsh-loving plant.
After thorough inspection of the premises and their contents, tea
was taken in the upper room ; following which the President, on behalf
of the visitors, thanked Mr. and Mrs. Sherrin for their kindly welcome,
and Mr. Sherrin replied briefly.
An adjournment was then made to the Lecture Room, where Mr.