collected in its native habitat in September would be in perfect condition for yielding large masses of bloom. Such dormant rhizomes landed in England in December should flower as well as in their native land, and as the demand for such a unique spring flower would be very great a new industry would be established in this country. And so with many others of our alpine plants now by ordinary methods most difficult to export in good condition. Both the New Zealand Agricultural Department and the Lyttelton Harbour Board readily granted Dr. Pairman's request, and the Secretary of the first-mentioned department was pleased to write, “The Government Biologist is of opinion that such experiments will be most interesting, and may have results of great economic value.” Unfortunately, I was not in a position to commence operations before the 10th December, since nearly all the alpine plants I had ready for the experiment being in a greenhouse, it was necessary to harden them off. On the 10th December the following plants were put in a cool-chamber adjacent to the one used for freezing dairy produce. (This chamber is kept at a low temperature by that freezing process known as the “Linde process,” and which consists in forcing a stream of brine, cooled by the evaporation of ammonia, through a number of pipes passing along the ceiling of the chambers):— No. Name of Plant. Where collected. Altitude. 1 * Plants with very little young growth.Podocarpus nivalis, Hook. f. Craigieburn Mountains 900 m. 2, 3 † Plants with considerable young growth.Fagus cliffortioides, Hook. f. Castle Hill 720 m. 4 †Raoulia tenuicaulis, Hook. f. Mount Grey Downs 240 m. 5 ‡ Plants with medium young growth.Luzula pumila, Hook. f. Craigieburn Mountains 1,800 m. 6 ‡Cotula atrata, Hook. f. " 1,500 m. 7, 8 *Helichrysum grandiceps, Hook. f. " 1,050 m. 9 *Ranunculus enysii, T. Kirk Big Ben Range 900 m. 10 ‡Celmisia bellidioides, Hook. f. Craigieburn Mountains 900 m. 11 ‡" laricifolia, Hook. f. " 1,200 m. 12 *" spectabilis, Hook. f. " 1,050 m. 13 *Senecio elæagnifolius, Hook. f. Kelly's Hill, Westland 900 m. 14 †Epilobium crassum, Hook. f. Mount Torlesse 1,200 m. 15 †Fagus solandri, Hook. f. Otarama 450 m. 16 ‡Coprosma propinqua, A. Cunn. Otira Valley 336 m. These plants were all in pots, plunged in earth in a shallow box, and, regarding moisture, rather dry than otherwise. They were removed from the cool-chamber (temperature, 4.44°C.) to the freezing-chamber (temperature, — 1.1°C.) on the 12th December. Here they were kept till the 18th De-