REPORTS OF MEETINGS
85
The Herbarium employs an artist whose time is spent in adding to the
collection of drawings of plants; some of these are reproduced lithographi-
cally and hand-coloured for the lovely Botanical Magazine which is here
prepared for the Royal Horticultural Society. The plates shown to the
party were greatly admired.
The library, with its rooms full of books from all over the world, in-
cluding early editions of pre-Linnaean herbals, aroused much interest in
some of the members, who were surprised and gratified to learn that it is
available for the use of students: all that is necessary is to write to the
Keeper of the Herbarium mentioning the time one wishes to attend.
At the end of the visit Mr. Ballard called attention to the fact that the
Herbarium is concerned with the whole range of cryptogams, as well as
with flowering plants. He showed a freezing microtome by means of which
sections of such soft material as the cap of an Agaric may be cut with com-
parative ease. The freezing agent was carbon dioxide "snow," obtained
from a cylinder of the gas. From contemplation of "snow" at the service
of man it was found that the time had come to face the real thing out of
doors and, after a sincere expression of thanks to Mr. Ballard for the trouble
he had taken to make the visit so thoroughly enjoyable, the excursion was
rounded off by a pleasant tea by a bright fire at Newen's Restaurant in Kew
Road.
The most severe weather conditions experienced for many years caused
the abandonment of two meetings. The indoor meeting arranged for
February 22nd was cancelled owing to restriction on the use of electricity,
while on March 8th, when a Cryptogamic Foray was to have taken place,
snow still lay thickly on the ground.
THE ANNUAL MEETING (871st Meeting)
SATURDAY, MARCH 29TH, 1947
This meeting was held at 3 o'clock in the Municipal College, Stratford.
Thirty-one members attended.
The President, on taking the chair, apologised for the enforced cancella-
tion of the meeting called for February 22nd, due to the Government's ban
on the use of electricity during certain hours.
The Hon. Secretary explained that, because of this cancellation, the usual
procedure of nomination of Officers and members of Council had been
abandoned. The Council had therefore to ask the meeting to waive this
procedure and suggested that the existing Members of Council and Officers
should remain in office for the ensuing year, with one addition, namely,
that of the election to the Council of Mr. C. Bignell Pratt as Joint Editor of
the Essex Naturalist.
After some questions by one member and suggestions by another, this
was agreed, with one dissentient.
The following were elected members of the Club:—
Miss V. M. Dennis, of 55, Lansdowne Road, South Woodford, E.18.
Miss Rhona M. Scott, of 17, Elmhurst Drive, South Woodford, E.18.
Mr. D. C. Hodge, of 24, Fladgate Road, Leytonstone, E.11.
A small number of photographs from the Pictorial Survey, chiefly of
trees, in view of the subject of the President's Address, was exhibited.
The President then delivered his Address on "Trees." This he illus-
trated by a series of lantern slides. At its conclusion the Address was warmly
applauded, and Mr. Pratt expressed the thanks of the members to Dr. Jane
and asked that it might be printed in the Club's journal.