IIARRV HOLUS, D.SC, F.L.S. 75 



given such vivid pictures of the different botanical regions he has defined 

 hat anyone with even an elementary knowledge of South African plants 

 can fancy himself travelling over the same ground." 



The " Sketch of the Floral Regions of South Africa," * ptvb- 

 lished in 1905, is a masterly summary of the main points of the 

 paper of 1886, in which certain modifications of the original 

 scheme of subdivision are introduced." 



He collaborated with Major W'olley Dod, R.y\., in the pre- 

 paration of " A I.ist of the Flowering Plants and Ferns of the 

 Cape Peninsula, with Notes on the Critical Species," which 

 appeared in 1903!. Bolus contributed an introduction of 22 pages, 

 which contains a valuable discussion of various geographical and 

 floristic problems. This work, the first " Catalogue of the 

 ])lants found upon the Cape Peninsula, the portion of the Colony 

 earliest known and colonised, and that still containing the largest 

 population," will no doubt lead to the preparation of a Penin- 

 sula flora for popular use. 



In conjunction with his old friend Guthrie, he commenced 

 in 1894 the elaboration of the heaths for the " Flora Capensis." 

 Their joint labours were interrupted by the death of Guthrie in 

 October, 1899, an event which was keenly felt by the survivor. 

 More than 300 pages of the fourth volume of the " Flora 

 Capensis" (publislied 1905) are filled with the descriptions of 

 the 469 species of Erica which are endemic in South Africa. 



Such is a bare summary of what will perhaps rank as the 

 principal botanical achievements of a man who, one would think 

 almost unknown to himself, has ])layed a great part in tlie 

 establishment of botany as a science in South Africa. 



I)Ut liolus was not merely a botanist. He was widely read 

 in English prose and poetry. He had a keen api)reciation of pic- 

 tures ; the last Saturday of his life was spent at the exdiibition 

 of the Royal Academy. He was intensely interested in educa- 

 tion, and when he wrote in the preamble to his will, 



" Education in its widest sense should be recognised as the best 

 means for the improvement and welfare of mankind, and therefore as 

 the best means of promoting the public good," 



he was professing a doctrine which he had consistently practised 

 since the time when he taught the ship's apprentice Mr. Herbert's 

 system of running lanrl. Much of what he did for the advance- 

 ment of education is not generally known. Among his more 

 public acts are the encouragement and assistance which he gave 

 in the foundation of the Harry ?>olus Chair of Botany in the 

 South African College in 1902. and his munificent beouest for 

 tlie endowment of the Bolus Scholarships at the same institution. 

 From 1897 until his death he was a member of the Board of 

 Directors of the South African Public Library; in 1906 he 

 became trustee of the South African Museum. In 1908 he was 

 appointed a member of the Council of the South African College, 

 in the afTairs of which he took an active interest until, in 1910, 



* " Science in South Africa," Cape Town, 1905. 



t Trans. S-A. Phil. Soc, 1903- 



