315 



were inspired by his example, especially the post-graduate 

 students who investigated such subjects as the Algae of the 

 soil, and the forms of the chloroplasts of Desniids, in both ot 

 which they made unexpected discoveries. His chief works, 

 besides numerous contributions to periodicals on Algae from 

 every country, were the four volumes on British Desniids, pub- 

 lished by the Ray Society, a treatise on the British Freshwater 

 Algae, published in 1904, and the first volume of the 0am bridge 

 Botanical Handbooks, which treats of the Chlorophyceae and 

 allied forms (1916). He had intended to follow up the latter bv 

 a work in which all the British species of Freshwater Algae 

 (excluding the Diatoms and Desniids) should be adequately 

 described and illustrated; part of this is already done, and those 

 who knew Professor West's accuracy and zeal were looking for- 

 ward to a volume which should rescue this branch of the science 

 from the low level to which it had sunk through previous attempts. 

 His premature decease at the early age of 43 is a loss to Algology 

 which will not easily be repaired, and it is to be hoped that that 

 portion of his work which is completed, but unpublished, will 



not be allowed to perish. 



w. B. G. 



Retirement oi Museum Preparer. — In May of the jDresent 



year, Mr. George Badderly, for 39 years preparer in the Museums, 

 retired when within a few days of the completion of his 81st 

 year. His early life was spent at Berkhamsted, where he served 

 his apprenticeship as a carpenter. On leaving Berkhamsted he 

 spent several years at carpentry and cabinet work with leading 

 London firms, and was then appointed a preparer at the India 

 Museum. When the India Museum collections were transferred 

 to Xew Badderly came with them, commencing his new duties 

 on April 1st, 1880. On the completion of the North Gallery, 

 he assisted Miss North in the arrangement and mounting of the 

 pictures, afterwards occupying the adjoining residence with his 

 wife, who acted as the official caretaker until within a few months 

 of her death in 1915. Throughout the whole of this time they 

 were held in high esteem by officials and visitors. After his 

 wife's death Badderly wished to retire, but owing to the war 

 the difficulty of filling his place was so great that he consented 

 to carry on his duties until the present year. An example of the 

 best type of British workman, clever, careful and painstaking, 

 Badderlev has always been a perfect master of his craft. Hi- 

 readiness to undertake difficult tasks and to impart his knowledge 

 to others, together with his cheerful disposition, gained him 

 the affection of everyone, and his retirement is a distinct loss to 

 the establishment in which he served so long. 



New Zealand Flax. — In the Annual Report of the Xew 



Zealand Department of Agriculture for 1908, pp. 405-112. an 

 account is given of experiments conducted in the cultivation 

 of the different varieties of New Zealand Flax or Hemp 

 (Phormium imam) with a view to ascertaining their respective 



