38 J. H. MAIDEN. 
some beautifully executed photomicrographs, and forms a very © 
valuable contribution tu the study of leprosy. 
Part I1I.—Some Botanical Matters.— 
1. BorantcAL WorkeErs.—a. The late Baron von Mueller.— 
My year of presidential office has been sadly memorable through 
the death of Baron von Mueller. For nearly half a century this 
distinguished man had continued to elucidate the structure and 
classification of Australian plants. In 1897, with our luxurious 
steamships and express-trains, our stores, and well-furnished larders 
under hospitable roofs extending over the greater part of the 
continent, our Flora Australiensis, Fragmenta, and Census, not to 
mention piles of botanical literature less frequently referred to, it 
is difficult to entirely enter into the circumstances of the young 
German botanist who stepped forth into the wilds, bent on con- 
quest far more glorious than that of Napoleon, whom we style 
“the Great,”—just fifty years ago. Mueller was a member of 
the most distinguished trio of explorer-botanists who have made 
Australia the principal field of their labours, and association with 
Robert Brown and Allan Cunningham is high honour indeed. 
These three men were practically contemporaneous with the 
century which is fast drawing toa close; they are the three 
bright stars around which the lesser lights revolve. 
Geographical and botanical exploration have gone hand in hand 
on this continent, all modern expeditions having had botanical 
collectors attached to them; moreover, the pioneers of pastoral 
and mining settlement have ever shown their willingness to send 
specimens to elucidate the plants of their districts. There are 
now but few tracts of Australian soil which have not been geo- 
graphically explored ; the result is that there does not appear to 
be scope for another explorer-botanist of the first rank. Inother 
words, present and future botanists must win their spurs in @ 
different way. But in hinting that Australia has been well 
explored botanically, I do not wish to be misunderstood. There : 
are plenty of imperfectly explored regions awaiting attention. I a 
RR STE a Et ee NO 
Malle rears ae rer ar ae ee | 
