18 
FonrraN OFFICE to Rovxar GARDENS, Kew. 
Foreign Office 
Sri, March 21, 1891. 
I am directed by the Marquess of Salisbury to state to aee that 
his attention has been called to the fact that three volumes only of the 
* Flora of Tropical Africa" have as yet been published, and Ka the 
want cf a complete handbook describing known plants impedes their 
study by Her Majesty's officers in the different parts of Africa which are 
now being opened up to civilization. A knowledge of African es is 
of great practical value, as was proved by the discovery by $ ohn 
Kirk, whilst employed as Her Majesty's Agent at Zanzibar, of a pai 
previously unknown, which now supplies m: 200, 0007. worth of 
india- mabe er to the Zanzibar market. So, too, on the West Coast of 
over which this country has recently acquired an influence, and he 
would ane suggest nis the puis of the work in question 
should at once be carried o 
'The Direet (Signed) E E N Lister. 
Royal ‘Gardens, Kew. 
ROYAL GARDENS, Kew, to FOREIGN OFFICE. 
Royal Gardens, Kew 
Sir, Ma réh 28, 1891. 
I mave the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 
March 2 2] respecting the completion of "the Flora of Tr opical Africa. 
This work, as you are no doubt aware, is published under the authority 
of the First Commissioner of Her Ma ajesty's ke and I have forwarded 
your letter to him with a request for instruction 
. Apart from an official difficulty which tias: arise, but which in. the 
face of Lord Salisbury’ s strong opinion will no doubt be easily overcome, 
I am embarrassed by the want of competent persons, with time at their 
disposal, to carry on the work. Our small scientific staff here is so fully 
occupied with routine duties that it is impossible for them to devote any 
official time to the undertaking. Everything depends then upon the 
extent to which they are willing and able to devote private time to it. 
3. I have myself the completion of the Flora very much at heart, and 
I shall certainly do all in my power to comply with Lord Salisbury’s 
wishes. 
I am, &e. 
(Signed) W. T. THISELTON-DYER. 
Sir Villiers Lister, K.C.M.G., 
Foreign Office, Downing Street, S.W. 
Meanwhile the publication `of novelties from recent collections is 
being rapidly prosecuted by the German botanists. At Kew, Vol. IV. 
; of wes Flora i is in active preparation. But inasmuch as it ciao go to 
the whole is prepared, it has been thought 
dedirsblo: to siens from time to time in the pages of the Kew Bulletin 
bri "€ ree cae the new species so as to secure priority fot the names. 
