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congratulate ourselves that our landowners, legislators, and 

 labourers are alive to its vast importance and in recent years have 

 taken steps tO' provide facilities for the study of the vegetation 

 of the country. South Africa has during the last few years 

 attained so worthy a place in the ranks of scientific progress that 

 a well-known scientific publication recently referred to " the 

 enlightenment of outlook in matters connected with the bearing 

 of scientific knowledge on practical affairs, which experience has 

 taught us to expect on the part of the Government of the Union 

 of bouth Africa." 



Marloth in his address alluded to the many problems awaiting 

 investigation, pointed out the difficulties under which the early 

 botanists laboured and drew attention to the backwardness of 

 South Africa as compared with other countries with regard to 

 facilities provided by the State for botanical research. He was, 

 however, suthciently alert to detect a silver lining to the cloud, 

 and mentioned, among other things, the recent establishment of 

 the National Gardens at Kirstenbosch, and the provision of graats 

 for research by the Union Government. 



Although it is only six years since his address was delivered, 

 considerable progress has been made in the interval, and I 

 propose briefly to take up the subject where Marloth left it, and 

 give a short resume of what has been done since those days. 

 First and foremost, the Government of the Union of South Africa 

 has established a Botanical Survey for the purposes of which the 

 Union has been divided into definite areas. The survey of each 

 area, is being carried out under the supervision of an experienced 

 botanist, and funds are pro'vided by the State to give facilities 

 for research and survey to those working in co-operation with the 

 botanists in charge. This is a great step in advance of former 

 times and is one of which those botanists who worked together in 

 loyal co-operation have every reason to be proud. It is also 

 pleasing to report that the progress already achieved is more than 

 gratifying and assuring. 



While the State has been carrying out its obligations to the 

 country, I think I shall have no' difficulty in convincing you that 

 the workers — few though they are — have not been backward in 

 doing their part. 



During the period under review Marloth has continued his 

 magnificent work on the flora of South Africa, Bews has made 

 an exhaustive study of the vegetation of Natal, Pearson has 

 botanically explored South-West Africa, and Schonland has 

 published a Memoir on the flora of Uitenhage and Port Elizabeth. 

 Mrs. Bolus is engaged on a study of the flora of the Cape 

 Peninsula, Phillips has made a botanical survey of Basutoland, 

 French Hoek and the Great Winterhoek, and Hepburn has 

 published a paper on the flora of Herschel. 



In addition to the description of botanical regions detailed 

 above a number of monographs on genera and families of 

 phanerogamic plants have been published, or are in course of 



