564 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
Colony if penned by him, but would also command a very large sale 
in Europe and America, and so the outlay by the Treasury would 
be more quickly recouped. It is unnecessary to insist on Sir 
Joseph Hooker’s preeminent fitness for undertaking the task of 
preparing the new Flora. His past labours in the same field, his. 
ready access to most uf the types, and his extensive and accurate 
knowledge of the widely distributed natural orders and genera in 
which our native plants are ranged are too well known to require 
more than bare statement. If the work is placed in his hands, the 
scientific world will regard its execution with a degree of confidence: 
which no local name can call forth. It is of the very highest impor- 
tance that the work should be of an authoritative character, and to: 
sacrifice that quality for the sake of a few hundred pounds would be 
very false economy. We would respectfully solicit from the Govern- 
ment and all interested in the matter their consideration of 
what appears to us the best way of getting the new Flora 
prepared. Let the services of Sir Joseph Hooker be secured as 
editor. We have reason to believe that he will undertake the task 
on reasonable terms and with great pleasure. Let there be associated 
with him in the production of the work one or two paid collaborateurs 
in New Zealand who will supply him with suites of specimens of the 
new species and of such others as are difficult of discrimination, and 
collect and forward notices of distribution, altitudinal and longitudinal 
range, variation, and such other points as can only be made out from 
fresh specimens. 
Were such an arrangement as this decided on, the work could be 
pushed on quickly, and when completed would combine the authority 
and the local knowledge which are both indispensable to a scientific 
treatment of the subject. 
It is no small merit in this plan of procedure that it would steer 
clear of the possibly grave difficulties that would beset the path of a 
local editor. For no botanist in New Zealand could be jealous of so 
eminent an editor, or find excuse for not using his best endeavours to 
assist him with specimens or observations. 
It is very desirable that three or four type collections should be 
secured for the Universities or Museums of the Colony. No doubt 
the editor of the new Flora would readily supply these for the great 
majority of the species, and there cannot be two opinions about their 
great utility. We trust that the Government in arranging for the 
production of the book will not fail to seize so good an opportunity of 
getting for the Colony two or three good type collections. 
De 
