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miserably incomplete. By a correspondence which has never 
intermitted, he has done all in his power to keep Kew abreast of the 
progress of botanical discovery in South Africa. And he possesses 
the happy art of communicating some touch of his enthusiasm to 
others, and has thus secured the investigation of many parts of the 
area of the Flora which might otherwise have remained all but 
unknown.” 
MacOwan also distributed study-sets to various schools and did 
everything in his power to further the study of Botany in Cape 
Colony schools. 
From the very first when he found that I was making an earnest 
attempt to form an extensive herbarium in connection with the 
it is to a preponderating extent due to hi 
As Director of the Botanic Gardens he was naturally obliged 
to give special attention to horticultural matters and to mi 
he might help them. He also got into touch with the Agricultural 
Departments-of the United States of America, and of the British 
Colonies, to whom he issued plants and seeds for acclimatisation and 
whom he received valuable plants for trial in Cape Colony. 
I think it was first in 1887 that the Cape Government acknowledged 
cultural matters which has taken place in recent years on Cape 
Colony farms, is due to his persistent preaching. 
