x YJ 
Obituary. xix 
To a scientific worker in a far-away corner of the earth honours come 
slowly. Nevertheless it would have been astonishing had Cheeseman's 
many claims for recognition been overlooked. For many years New Zea- 
land itself had nothing to offer. Even the University does not, honour 
itself, as, do other universities, by conferring degrees ged distinguished 
men. But Cheeseman was early elected a Fellow of the Linnean Societ 
of London, and, a little later, of the бге зема Society also. "But honours 
far more distinguished came to him—first of all, a Corresponding Member- 
ship of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh, and this year one of the highest 
science can offer, the Gold Linnean Medal of the Linnean Society, a dis- 
tinction open to zoologists and botanists throughout the world ; heal 
had he lived, he would almost certainly have been elected a Fellow of the 
Royal Society. Then the New Zealand Institute made him its President 
in 1911, which is the highest honour a scientific man can attain in the 
Dominion, and in 1918 he was awarded the Hector Memorial Medal and 
Prize for his botanical researches, and the succeeding year he was made an 
original Fellow of the New Zealand Institute. 
After all, the gaining of honours is far from being the crown of the 
gifted man of science : rather is it the admiration of those who best know 
his work, and, above all, the knowledge that such work is influencing 
his fellow-workers, old and young. It is indeed difficult to estimate how 
great has been the influence of Cheeseman upon botanical research in New 
Zealand. His works must perforce be in the hands of all pursuing studies 
concerned either with the flora or the vegetation, and must be consulted 
dail r wil this influence lessen with his lamented death; it will 
vastly increase. Happily, the great botanist lived to round off his life's 
work—the revised edition of his flora. How greatly do we botanists of 
this country, if I may speak for my friends and colleagues, rejoice that 
he had the satisfaction of finishing his task! How greatly do we deplore 
that he did not live to see his labours materialized, and to receive our 
acclamation ! 
L. COCKAYNE. 
