405 
1905, p. 20). The demands made by the larger Flora, however, 
have so far prevented this work being undertaken. 
The need of floras dealing with special areas but based on 
the standard Flora of the Country has already been appreciated 
in the case of India where the Flora of British India has been 
followed by the local floras of Bombay, Madras, etc. These 
local floras have been or are being written by distinguished 
Indian botanists and the work has been done almost entirely 
at Kew, the Government of India finding the necessary funds 
for the purpose. 
The retirement of Dr. J. M. Dalziel from the West African 
Medical Service appeared to be a unique opportunity of securing 
the services of an officer well acquainted with West Africa and 
who was known to have taken a keen interest in the local flora 
during his long residence on the Coast. With this assistance, 
and that of Mr. J. Hutchinson, who has for so many years 
devoted his attention to African work in the herbarium at Kew, 
it has now been possible for work on the local flora to be begun. 
The handbook is intended to follow the lines of the local 
Indian floras and to be illustrated by outline sketches of the 
more important flowers and plants.. The area to be considered 
will include the four British West African Colonies and Protec- 
torates and as much of the hinterland and intervening country 
as comprise the common Upper Guinea flora. 
Donation of a Microscope.—An important addition to the 
apparatus at Kew is due to the generosity of Mr. P. G. Dallinger, 
who has very kindly presented a valuable microscope for the 
use of the Staff or Students. 
The instrument consists of a Zeiss stand with mechanical 
stage finder, sub-stage condenser and. diaphragms, one objective 
(16 mm.) and three compensating eyepieces by Zeiss, one 
ordinary eyepiece, a }-inch objective by Baker and a ,',-ine 
immersion lens by Reichert. 
The microscope is in excellent order, the donor having 
arranged for a thorough overhauling of the instrument to be 
carried out before presenting it to Kew. 
The National Herbarium of the Union of South Africa.—The 
Botanical Survey of the Union of South Africa was established 
in the year 1918, as recorded in the Kew Bulletin 1919, p. 399, 
and one of its principal aims was that a Central Herbarium 
should be established at the headquarters of the Survey at 
Pretoria. We learn with interest that this has now been accom- 
plished, the Central Herbarium having been opened on July 20th 
by General Smuts, the Prime Minister. 
General Smuts, as reported in the Rand Daily Mail, gave 
a remarkably interesting scientific address on this occasion, 
showing how wide is his grasp of South African rider, and its 
needs. 
