42 J. H. MAIDEN. 
of his eminence as a scientific man, and in 1879 Her Majesty 
made him a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and 
St. George. His lesser distinctions (many of them — honour- 
able), form a very long catalogue. 
The story of the Baron’s life has already been outlined in 
several publications, and I may refer you to those noted at foot.’ 
I may mention that he was born at Rostock in Northern Germany 
in 1825, and emigrated to South Australia in 1847. Already a 
trained pharmacist, he obtained employment of this nature in 
Adelaide, but very shortly made his way to Victoria, of which 
colony he was made Government Botanist in 1852. This office 
was conjoined with the Directorship of the Botanic Gardens of 
Melbourne in 1857, and the offices were again separated in 1873, 
the Baron remaining Government Botanist of Victoria until his 
death on the 10th October last. 
No man knew the Baron more intimately than Mr. J. G. 
Luehmann, his assistant for twenty-eight years and now his suc- 
cessor. I lately asked Mr. Luehmann what he considered the 
Baron’s strongest or most evident point as a botanist. He at 
once replied, —‘“‘ His marvellous memory for the forms of plants.” 
The Baron had a remarkable power of “spotting” a new plant, 
and hence, when large parcels came to him, he could rapidly run 
through them and lay on one side, with an almost unerring instinct, 
the new forms; and having made this preliminary selection, his 
descriptions of new species were rapidly proceeded with. I have 
given a few notes on his personal characteristics in the Agricultural 
Gazette for November last, and most accounts of his life work 
refer to such matters. 
I enjoyed the personal friendship of the Baron for fifteen years. 
Sometimes I criticised his nomenclature, and other botanical 
1 Victorian Naturalist, Oct. 1896; Chemist and Druggist of Australasia, 
Nov. 1896; Melbourne Argus, 12th Oct., 1896; Sydney Mail, 17th Oct., 
1896; Brisbane Observer, age Oct., 1896 ; Agricultural Journal of Cape 
Colony, 26th Nov., 1896; Gardeners’ Chronicle, Pharm. Journ., and Chemist 
and Druggist, all of 17th ei; 1896. potion 22nd October, 1896. 
he ‘ ? i ie See if i No eo hiaiae sata hia acl Suet ae i 
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NORGE eye aoe epee . 
Pit oe cia gees eS 
‘a 
4 
