200 REPORT OF THE VICTORIAN GOYERNMENT BOTANIST. 
By your kind concession, Sir, I was enabled to spend in the begin- 
ning of this year one week in Tasmania, with a view of adding, by 
field observations and new collections, to the material of my works. 
This journey (my first to the island) was to me replete with interest. 
For although I had aided in the elucidation of the Tasmanian vegeta- 
tion for more than twenty years from museum plants, I had no oppor- 
tunity until this year to observe the many highland plants, absolutely 
peculiar to the island, in their wild native grace. Moreover, I suc- 
ceeded, within the brief time of my visit, in ascending Mount Field 
East, about 5000 feet high, lying about halfway between Hobarton and 
Macquarrie Harbour ; and as this mountain range and the shores of 
Lake Fenton had not been subjected to any previous phytological in- 
vestigation, it fell to my share to obtain copious novel information on 
the distribution of the alpine plants of Tasmania. To contrast the 
consociations of these and their geological relations with those of the 
Australian Alps proved in a high degree instructive. 
The Museum collections become more and more important, and 
their value as a lasting source of authentie information for centuries to 
come can never be over-estimated. It remains, however, a source of 
regret that no more amateur collectors in far inland localities send 
spontaneously plants, simply pressed and dried; by which means much 
would be learnt additionally on the range of different species over the 
continent, and their variation in form. The facilities for obtaining re- 
liable information on any plants, always cheerfully given, might in the 
future also not be equally great, nor the opportunities of literary record 
` always remain the same. If to the several hundred thousand plants in 
the Museum still a collection could be added, rich in authentic speci- 
mens, described in works during the earlier parts of this century, we 
would then possess one of the grandest institutions for phytographic 
research anywhere in existence 
The want of an appropriate hall, with proper fittings, has prevented 
special teaching by lectures in the Garden. But, as an illustrious 
Professor of Natural Sciences also teaches phytology at the University, 
it might be desirable to restrict any future occasional demonstrative 
lectures in this place to those industrial phytological subjects, through 
which science enters into the occupations of daily practical life, occupa- 
tions of which many in this young country have still to be called forth. 
It might be desirable, also, with a view of diffusing a vivid knowledge 
