The Naturalist Section.
It would be impossible to describe the exhibits in this section as a whole, but one sent by a young miner Scout from Penrhywfarteg, Ystradgynlais, Swansea Valley, may be taken as typical. There were quite a hundred samples of plants and flowers indexed with a thoroughness that left nothing to be suggested. A collier lad, one would imagine, has not much leisure or opportunity to couple a thorough course of botany with his ordinary work, yet this lad's specimens, each marked with its habitat, show that he has found time to wander round the hedgerows, woods, waste ground, old gardens, marshes, shady banks, and hay-fields in search of them. Here is a sample of his complete knowledge. The elder flower is given its botanical name—Sambucus nigra— and also its local name, Yscawen, whilst the familiar honeysuckle is shown botanically as "Lonicera Periclymenum," and locally as "Blodaur Mel," with the note that it makes a good ointment for skin diseases, which seems to prove that the Boy Scouts that go racing merrily over the open spaces of our cities are getting all the complete thrills that science can afford, as well as the joy of youth and the pleasure of a whole world waiting discovery. ◇◇
The Gentle Art.
The show, perhaps, that attracted more attention than any other was the boxing. Which was not surprising considering it was Birmingham!
There were many black eyes and bleeding noses to be seen, but it is all to the good as long as it helps to make the boys plucky and game.
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