^66 FORESTRY OF WEST AFRICA. 



— indebted to Mr. Hillier, whose good creditable 

 work, application and zeal I must fully acknowledge. 



I trust that the spirit which actuated him and the 

 result of his labours may, in connection with his 

 future — in which I wish him well — receive at the 

 proper time the consideration of the Kew Authorities. 



It is my duty, and I hope I may not be viewed as 

 taking a liberty, to record specially my indebtedness 

 to Sir Joseph Hooker, the late Director of the Royal 

 Gardens, Kew ; to E. Thistleton Dyer, Esq., C.M.G., 

 the present Director ; and to Professor Oliver, for the 

 continuous courtesy and attention, both privately and 

 officially, I have received from each. 



In my desire to do as much as my time admitted, I 

 have troubled them from time to time as a collector 

 •of botanical specimens ; and I must say that I have 

 always experienced at Kew the greatest desire and 

 •encouragement to meet the wants of the Colonies and 

 to promote their interests, scientifically and com- 

 mercially. 



As one proof, Mr. Dyer was good enough to place 

 me in possession, when I left England in 1884 to 

 .assume the government of the Settlements on the 

 Gambia, of three Wardian cases full of ornamental 

 and economic plants, our object being to see what 

 ■could be done to promote commercial progress in those 

 parts. Indeed, such stimulants are most beneficial. 

 The result, of course, remained in local hands. In 

 view of nature and condition of garden and grounds 



