The Scottish Naturalist. 245 



Botanical Society of Edinburgh, and a member of the Ray 

 Society. Dr. Boswell was the most eminent authority of the day 

 on critical and doubtful British plants, and such plants, together 

 with new discoveries, were constantly submitted to him for classi- 

 fication. He formed a most valuable herbarium of British and 

 European species, and also made a valuable entomological col- 

 lection. In the garden of Balmuto he had a fine collection of 

 bulbs, irises, and hellebores, besides a number of other interesting 

 British and foreign plants. 



For the last few years of his life he was debarred by failing 

 health from active work, but up to the last his interest in scientific 

 matters never flagged. He was naturally of an unassuming dis- 

 position ; and only those who knew him personally understood 

 the extent of his researches, the soundness of his conclusions, and 

 the value of his opinions on almost every subject. It may be men- 

 tioned that he had a thorough knowledge of the theory and science 

 of music, and was well acquainted with the science of Medicine. 

 The loss to the scientific world, as well as to his personal friends, 

 can hardly be over-estimated. He leaves a widow, a daughter, 

 and two sons, the elder of whom is now the representative of the 

 old family of Boswells of Balmuto, and is preparing for the 

 Scottish Bar. 



Mr. John Smith, A.L.S., ex-curator of the Royal Botanic 

 Gardens, Kew, was born in Fifeshire in 1798, and had almost 

 reached the great age of 90 at the time of his death last February. 

 He had to make his own way in life, and overcame very great 

 obstacles by his talents and perseverance. He rose from the grade 

 of gardener's labourer to his honourable position at Kew, in which 

 he did so much for the welfare of the Gardens, and which he held 

 for a number of years, till the failure of his sight compelled his 

 resignation of it. For some years, while a lad, he worked in 

 private gardens in Fifeshire and elsewhere in Scotland ; and for a 

 year or two he was employed in the Edinburgh Botanic Garden, 

 then the best in Britain. But for the greater part of his life he 

 was connected with Kew Gardens, rising through the various 

 grades to the Curatorship. 



While he was at Kew the Gardens passed through a critical 



