188 ij Promotion. 283 



CHAPTER XL. 



PROMOTION. 



[1881.] 



THE practice for many years pursued by the Royal Irish 

 Academy of making grants towards the expenses of bota- 

 nical research afforded him almost constant opportunities 

 of urging renewed exploration on his friends. As has just 

 been seen from a letter to Mr. Barrington, he had begun 

 in December, 1880, to plan out areas for the coming year's 

 work. The two letters which follow, on the same subject, 

 are addressed to Mr. S. A. Stewart : 



February ioth, 1881. 



DEAR SIR, If you are disposed to send in an application to the 

 Royal Irish Academy for an additional grant "to complete the 

 botanical (exploration) of Western Fermanagh, and the adjacent 

 borders of County Cavan," please be so good as to write a letter to 

 that effect, explaining how you were not able to finish your investiga- 

 tions last summer, and that you wish to resume them this year; 

 urging, also, the desirableness of extending your exploration to the 

 neighbouring parts of Cavan, which appeared to you a promising 

 district. I think in this way you have a good chance of ^10, for which 

 you had better apply, sending your letter undated to me, till I can feel 

 my way. Have you thought of the list, with corrections, for District 

 12 ? And I much wish that you would kindly send me Mr. Carroll's 

 specimens of Saxifraga hirta. 



July idth, 1881. 



DEAR SIR, I should be glad to know whether you have made any 

 expedition to Fermanagh and Cavan, and what success you have met 

 with. Mr. Barrington has been two or three days on Lough Erne, and 

 he proposes having a second trip a little later in the season. This 

 leads me to ask whether, if you are yourself going again in that direc- 

 tion, you would like to join Mr. Barrington for a few days, since I 

 should think you might examine the western shores together, with 

 advantage. Mr. Hart is working hard at the Reeks, and I believe has 

 made a good list, but I do not think he has found any plant new to 



