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LI.—MISCELLANEOUS NOTE. 
Joun Gitpert Baxer.—By the death of Dr. J. G. Baker, 
F.K.S., on August loth, 192U, Kew mourns the loss of one w ho 
for nearly 33 years gave of his best to the promotion and 
encouragement of the botanical work of the Royal Botanic 
Gardens. 
Born on January 13th, 1834, at Guisboro’, Yorkshire, he early 
devoted himself to botanical studies, and on April Ist, 1866, was 
appointed Assistant to the Librarian at Kew. In 1884 he was 
promoted to the position of Principal Assistant in the Herbarium 
and Library, and in 1890 succeeded to the office of Keeper of the 
Herbarium and Library on the retirement of the late Prof. D. 
Oliver. He retired from this office on January 12th, 1899, after 
having completed 32 years and 10 months of devoted and self- 
sacrificing public service. 
His contributions to botanical science were numerous and 
valuable, but it is rather as the kindly, helpful and appreciative 
friend that his memory lives with us a treasured possession. 
Combined with the charm of his character, his keen sense of 
honour and love of beauty in poetry, art and ‘nature will long be 
remembered. 
He was an able teacher, and his lectures to the young gardeners 
at Kew were a source of delight to himself and a keen stimulus 
to his classes of students. 
Sir William Thiselton-Dyer, in a letter to a friend after his 
death, writes: —‘‘I always felt for him an affectionate regard. 
He was helpful to me in my early years, and a faithful support 
to me at Kew. He was one of the best of men. In his serene 
disposition he was at peace with God and man. His life was one 
of cheerful devotion to useful and conscientious work, and in it 
he leaves behind him a worthy ric pianaanigg To those who knew 
him his memory will always be fragrant.” 
Dr. Baker’s contributions - to Faseiitad literature were very 
numerous. About 400 papers appear'under his name in the Royal 
Society’s Catalogue of Scientific Paper te This catalogue and the 
lists of publications by the members of the Kew staff, printed 
in the Kew Bulletin, 1897, pp. 1-84, 338240. and 1907, Appendix 
form an almost complete bibliography of his botanical work. 
He assisted Miss Willmott in her monograph of Rosa (19 10-14), 
being “‘ of especial service in drawing up the specific Ceaser 
The following are additions to the ie mentioned above 
Description of the new species and principal verieies of 
Lily discovered since the publion Gon of the monograph o 
Elwes (1880). (Journ. R. Hort. Soc. xxvi. pp. 335-349, 
with figs. 175-179; 1901.) 
Rp hile notes on the ear rly botanists of Northumber- 
land. and Durh (Nat. Hist. Trans. Northumberl., Durh. 
etc., XiV. pp. 69-86; 1902.) 
[ Bio phical memoir of A. W. Bennett.] (Journ. R. 
Microsc. Soc. 1902, pp. 155-157, with portrait. 
Fritillaria . askhabadensis. (Gard. Chron. 1902, xxxi. 
pp. 237-238, with fig. 
