Prominent Vorkshtre Workers 
-John Gilbert Baker. 7 
of the late C. P.. Hobkirk—was favoured with its first con- 
tribution from Mr. Baker’s pen in a ‘ Review of British Roses.’ 
A ‘Monograph of British Mints’ was published by him in 
‘Seemann’s Journal of Botany’ in 1865, and in the following 
year Mr. Baker’s worth was recognised in London, and he was 
appointed first Assistant in the Herbarium of the Royal Gardens 
at Kew. Prof. D. Oliver was at that time the Keeper, and Sir 
J. D. Hooker was the Director. 
Conjointly with Sir W. J. Hooker, who died in 1865, Mr. 
Baker published, between 1865 and 1867, ‘Synopsis Filicum : 
a synopsis of all known Ferns, with figures of the Genera and 
Sub-Genera.’ A second edition was called for in 1875, and in 
1892 Mr. Baker brought the list of species to date in the ‘Annals 
of Botany.’ 
With Dr. G. R. Tate, he, in 1866, published the ‘ New Flora 
of Northumberland and Durham.’ In the following year the 
Linnean Society published his ‘Geographical Distribution of 
Ferns.’ Between 1868 and the present time he has frequently 
contributed to Oliver and Dyer’s ‘ Flora of Tropical Africa,’ and 
between 1867 and 1899 he wrote various popular monographs 
of Narcissus, Lilium, Iris, Crocus, Agave, Yucca, Aquilegia, 
Hellebore, etc., to the ‘Gardeners’ Chronicle.’ Between 1868 
and 1872 he contributed descriptions of new and rare plants 
from the garden of Mr. W. Wilson Saunders, of Reigate, to 
Vols. I., 1IL., 1V., and V. of ‘Refugium Botanicum.’ During 
the years 1870-1880 Volumes XI. to XVIII. of the Journal of the 
Linnean Society contained Baker’s Monograph of the Liliacez. 
And so on, year after year, have appeared most valuable and 
extensive monographs and papers dealing with the plants of 
England and abroad.* His latest piece of work has been the 
preparation of an account of the Botany of the County for the 
Victoria History. At the present moment he has in preparation, 
in conjunction with Miss Ellen Wilmott, ‘A Book of Roses,’ 
the coloured plates for which have been drawn by Mr. Alfred 
Parsons, A.R.A. 
A large number of genera and species of plants has been 
named in honour of Mr. Baker. Amongst them are the 
following :—Genera: Bakeria, Seemann (Araliacez), sunk by 
Bentham and Hooker; Bakeria, André (Bromeliacez) ; and 
* An idea of the number of these may be gathered from the fact that 
83 papers on Ferns are enumerated in Christensen’s ‘Index Filicum,’ 
and 43 on various botanical subjects are listed in the Royal Society's 
Catalogue for 1864-1873. 
1907 January I. 
