25 
the Tropic of Capricorn, was begun on the same general plan, 
but under very different auspices, and without any certain 
prospect of Government aid. This was also brought about by 
familiarity with the Flora of the Cape. Dr. Harvey’s principal 
objection arose from the want of authentic specimens, some of the 
most complete and best published South African collections being 
e Continent; this was fortunately easily overcome, for Dr. 
Sonder, of Hamburgh, the possessor of the best of these collec- 
tions, a good botanist, and author of several valuable memoirs on 
Cape plants, gladly accepted Dr. Harvey’s offer to share the 
authorship with himself. Dr. Harvey undertook to print and 
publish the Flora at his own risk and cost, trusting chiefly to 
colonial subscriptions for a repayment of the outlay. hese were 
liberally accorded, and thanks to the exertions of the Governor, 
Sir George Grey, and the Colonial Secretary, Rawson Rawson, 
Ksq., a Parliamentary grant was made by the Colony towards the 
expenses of the first volume, and hopes were held out of its being 
continued to the succeeding ones.” 
The ultimate history of the undertaking is given in the preface 
pe the sixth volume by Sir William Thiselton-Dyer, the present 
editor :— 
“The third volume of the Flora Capensis was published in 
1865. The following year Professor Harvey, who had been its 
principal author and guiding spirit, died. Although in the 
me is referred to as “shortly to be in 
preparation for the press,” practically nothing available relating 
to it was found amongst Professor Harvey’s papers. Nor did his 
coadjutor, Dr. Sonder, who died in 1881, undertake any further 
part in the work. 
time Director of the Royal Gardens, entrusted the task of con- 
of official duties in which I almost immediately found myself 
immersed, left me little time for the task. It became evident that 
it could only be accomplished by the co-operation of numerous 
still further so as to include, as far as possible, all known flower- 
and the Ocean, To the north, the present and future volumes 
23812 
