LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDOX, 49 



"William Harris, Govermneiit Botanist and As.sistant Director 

 of Pnblic Gardens in Jamaica, was born at Eiiniskillen on the 

 15tb November, 1860, and after some • years' experience in 

 gardening, was in 1879 taken on the staff at the Eoyal Bptanic 

 Gardens, Kew. Two years later he was appointed on the 

 Director's recommendation to take charge of King's House 

 Garden, Jamaica, Sir Daniel Morris, K.C.M.G., tlien being 

 Director of Public Gardens and Plantations, and in due course 

 acted as Siiperintendent in each of the five gardens in that island. 

 On Mr. W. Fawcett's retirement in 1908, Harris became 

 Superintendent of the Public Gardens of the Departn)ent of 

 Agriculture ; in 1917 he was appointed Government Botanist, and 

 in 1920, a few months beft)re his death, was promoted to be 

 Assistant Director. By his loss botanical exploration in Jamaica 

 has suffered greatly. He was an indefatigable collector, and 

 spent bis holidays in the botanical exploration of every part of 

 the island, roughing it in the bush, with the most meagre shelter 

 for the night. Last year he suffered throat trouble, and went to 

 Kansas City, where his eldest son was living, to consult a 

 specialist. The disease was found to be cancer, and he died in 

 hospital on the 11th October, 1920. He had been a Fellow of 

 the Linnean Society since 6th April, 1899. 



Botanically he is commemorated by the genera Harrisia, Britton 

 (Cactacese), and Rarrisella, Fawc. & Rend. (Orchidea?), and many 

 species have been named after him. [B, D. J.] 



JoHX Eeaber Jackson, who died at Lympstone, Devon, on the 

 28th October, 1920, w-as the last survivor of the official staff of 

 the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, from the time of Sir William 

 Hooker. 



He was born at Knightsbridge in May 1837, but at the age of 

 six he was taken with the rest of the family to Canterbury. His 

 early education was conducted by his father until 1851, when he 

 was sent to London, where he continued his studies under the 

 supervision of an uncle. Having become acquainted with 

 Prof. Thomas Bell, then President of the Linnean Society, he 

 was in turn introduced to Sir William Hooker, Dr. John Lindley, 

 and Robert Brown, resulting in his receiving the appointment as 

 Curator of the Museum at Kew, then in course of formation, 

 which he carried on alone for nearly 20 years, when an assistant 

 was granted. Although his official duties engrossed nearly all his 

 time, he managed to become the author of several works, such as 

 the ' Official Guide to the Kew Museums,' which, originally the 

 work of Daniel Oliver, in the fifth edition, 1871, and sixth edition, 

 1875, were added to by Jolni R. Jackson ; he also edited a new 

 edition of Barton & Castle's 'The British Flora mediea' in 1877, 

 and issued his ' Commercial Botany of the Nineteenth Century ' 

 in 1890. In addition he contributed numerous short articles to 

 serials, as one on the Whangee Cane in the 16th volume of our 



LINN. see. PBOCEEDINGS — SESSION 1920-1921. e 



