1858.] KEW GARDENS. ^ 509 



or by means of its contents ; still I were wanting in gratitude if 

 I omitted to express again our obligations to George Bentham, 

 Esq. (the liberal donor of bis herbarium and library, mentioned 

 in former Reports)^ who continues daily to devote his time to 

 these collections, and to scientific publications connected with 

 them. This gentleman has just completed a Flora of the Bri- 

 tish Islands. Dr. Seemann's ^ Botany of the Voyage of H.M.S. 

 Herald' (published by order of the Lords of the Admiralty) has 

 been finished ; the ' Botanical Magazine/ a work which specially 

 illustrates, by coloured plates, the plants of the Boyal Gardens 

 of Kew, continues to appear monthly ; a new periodical has been 

 commenced, devoted to illustrating, by quarto coloured plates, 

 the Ferns of the same Gardens ; the ' Flora of Tasmania,' pub- 

 lished under the authority of the Lords of the Admiralty, ap- 

 proaches completion, and its author prosecutes his publication 

 on the Botany of India, and assists in conducting through the 

 press the Flora of Ceylon, which is the work of his friend Mr. 

 Thwaites, Superintendent of the Botanic Garden of Ceylon. . . . 



During the past year the Herbarium has received important 

 accessions in the collections sent home by the following indivi- 

 duals, who are employed at the expense of Government : — 



Mr. Barter, botanist to Dr.Baikie's second Niger Expedition. 

 — If all the collections arrive safely, and are as valuable as those 

 which have already come, there is no question that our acquaint- 

 ance with the vegetation and commercial vegetable productions 

 of tropical Western Africa will much exceed all that has been 

 effected by preceding explorers. (Foreign Office and Admiralty.) 



Captain Denham's naturalist, attached to his surveying voyage 

 in the less known parts of the South Pacific, especially the Fejee 

 Islands, etc. etc. (Admiralty.) 



Mr. Bourgeau, who accompanied Captain J. Palliser's Explor- 

 ing Expedition, previously mentioned, in British North America. 

 (Colonial Office.) 



Dr. F. Mueller, Botanist to the North-Australian Exploring 

 Expedition. (A colonial appointment.) 



Mr. Charles Wilford is sent to Hongkong and Japan, and 

 will join the survey of the coast of Manchuria. His collec- 

 tions are daily expected. (Admiralty in part, aided by a special 

 grant from the Treasury, on the application of our First Com- 

 missioner.) . . . 



