96 THE LATE PROFESSOR ARCHER. [June 



possessing some valuable properties, it has not yet, except on a very 

 small scale, been cultivated, and even the wild plant which grows 

 abundantly on hillsides in New Zealand is not gathered. Manilla 

 hemp from Musa textilis, and coir fibre from the husk of the cocoa- 

 nut, are, however, textile materials which have become of much 

 importance. We need only further refer to Esparto or Spanish 

 grass, which, till about the year 1860, had scarcely been thought of 

 as a material for papermaking, but is now annually imported for 

 that purpose to the extent of 200,000 tons, the value of which 

 amounts to nearly £1,400,000. 



Along with Mr. Peterson, of the office of Crown Domains, St. 

 Petersburg, Professor Archer wrote an elaborate official report on the 

 vegetable substances used in manufactures shown in the International 

 Exhibition of 1862, In this report detailed lists are given of the 

 exhibited woods from several countries, which appear to have been 

 collected and named with skill and care. The Spanish list contains 

 the comparatively large number of 312 indigenous and acclimatized 

 woods. Mr. Archer refers to the work of examining the numerous 

 specimens of gums, resins, gutta-percha, and caoutchouc shown, as 

 being particularly laborious. He acted as an Associate Commissioner 

 at the Paris Universal Exhibition of 1867 for the class dealing with 

 Forest Products ; and was again at work at the Vienna Universal 

 Exhibition of 1873, and wrote several reports for the British 

 Commission in connection with it. 



Professor Archer was British Commissioner conjointly with Colonel 

 Sandford at the Philadelphia Exhibition of 1876, and while there, 

 notwithstanding heavy official duties, had some opportunities of 

 studying the botany of the United States. He was much gratified 

 v/hen at Philadelphia with the opportunity, which, as one of the 

 high officials of the Exhibition, he enjoyed, of tasting the native 

 grown tropical fruits of the Southern States, of the West Indies, 

 and even to some extent those of South America. 



Of late years he spent most of his leisure time in his garden, and 

 took great delight in examining any specially fine or interesting 

 plants in conservatories Ijelonging to his friends, as well as in 

 looking over the beds of Alpine flowers in their grounds. 



In private life Mr. Archer was much esteemed by his associates. 

 He had attractive powers of conversation, had travelled much, and 

 was altogether a very entertaining companion. In his official work 

 he was very active and energetic, and did everything he could to 

 extend the usefulness of the Museum ; but at the same time he was 

 considerate and kind to his subordinates, and solicitous at all times 

 for their welfare. 



