163 
long and painful illness. Mr. Hart was born in 1847, and received 
his early education at the Grammar School of Botesdale, Suffolk. 
Ile then took up the study of Agriculture and Gardening, and from 
1872-75 held a position as landscape-gardener in Nova Scotia: 
From there he proceeded to Jamaica to take charge of the gardens 
and grounds of King’s House, and in 1881 became Superintendent 
of the Cinchona plantations in that island. 
On the departure of Mr. (now Sir Daniel) Morris in July, 1886, 
he acted as Director of Public Gardens and Plantations until his 
transfer to Trinidad as Superintendent of the Royal Botanic 
Gardens in June, 1887, Some ten years later he designed and 
planted the Botanic Station at Tobago, which was then added to his 
charge. He will also be remembered for having established the 
St. Clair experimental station in Trinidad. Upon his retirement 
from Government service in 1908, the old botanical department of 
Trinidad was merged into a wider organisation, and the new 
Department of Agriculture was created with Professor P. Carmody 
as its first Director. 
Mr. Hart’s work in the field of botany, agriculture and horticul- 
ture in the West Indies covered a long period, and was distinguished 
throughout by unbounded energy and marked ability. The scope 
of his duties increased as time went on from the charge of the 
gardens to the superintendence of a fairly large botanical and 
agricultural department, and he also took a keen and active interest 
in the affairs of the Agricultural Society. His knowledge of the flora 
of the West Indies and particularly of the floras of Jamaica and 
Trinidad was extensive. Among his published works one of the 
most useful is the Herbarium list of the botanical department of 
Trinidad published in 1908. He also wrote an interesting account 
of a visit to Nicaragua in 1885, and in 1892 published “ A Treatise 
on the Cultivation and Curing of Cacao,” which appeared in a 
second edition in 1900. In December, 1909, he edited a volume of 
‘* The Ferns and Fern Allies of the British West Indies and Guiana,” 
by the late Mr. G. S. Jenman. He also edited the quarterly. 
Bulletin of the botanical department. 
rt was a man of decided opinions which he would not 
readily change, though he was open to conviction, and he was always 
prepared to defend what he believed to be right against all opposition. 
He did much useful work in connection with plant diseases, and was 
among the first in the West Indies to recognise the true significance 
of fungi and insects in causing disease, and for many years past he 
has been a valued contributor of interesting material to Kew. 
A correspondent in Trinidad informing us of his death writes : 
‘He was regarded as one of the best and most reliable authorities 
in the tropics in his special line of engagement and thought. 
have lost an invaluable friend and a counsellor of discretion, judgment 
and ability that one seldom has the privilege of meeting in the 
plant world in this part of the earth.” - 
An interesting note of Mr. Hart’s work appeared in the Proc. 
ic. Soc., Trinidad, 1908, pp. 217-219, together with his portrait, 
and was published on the occasion of his retirement from govern- 
ment service. A further note was published in the same journal, 
1911, part 2, pp. 141-143. = . : a 
19061 
C2 
