14 
Later Yé€ars. 
The later history of the botany of New 
Zealand is largely bound up in_ the 
extremely valuable research and _ literary 
work of Mr T. Kirk, F.L.8., Mr T. F. 
Cheeseman, F.L.S., and Dr L. Cockayne, 
F.R.S., Ph.D. They have each and all con- 
tributed so largely to the fund of tnforma- 
tion available to private botanists and lovers 
of native plants for many years past that 
their names will be indelibly associated for 
all time with the fascinating branch of 
scientific studies with which they so closely 
identified themselves. 
Messrs Laing and Blackwell, too, although 
in a minor degree, have performed a similar 
service in the publication of their informa- 
tive book. It forms pleasant and instructive 
reading, and is a work which all those who 
love our native plant life have appreciated. 
Mr T. Kirk’s valuable work in connection 
with the botany of New Zealand extended 
over a long period. Generous testimony 18 
borne to his services by his coadjutor and 
friend, Mr T. F. Cheeseman, who in the 
preface to the ‘‘Manual’’ writes as follows :— 
‘Tn connection with Mr Kirk’s activities 
in the field of New Zealand botany, 1 may 
fittingly mention the work published by him 
in 1889 on the forest flora of the colony. 
As explained, it was a descriptive account 
of the economic trees and shrubs of New 
Zealand, authorised by the Hon. John Bal- 
lance, formerly Minister of Lands, and con- 
firmed by his successor in office, the Hon. 
G. F. Richardson. The primary objects of 
the work were the diffusion of a knowledge 
of the forest resources of the colony, a 
description of the chief methods of working 
and conversion employed, and to establish 
a uniform series of common names for the 
trees and their timber as used in commerce, 
“Por many years New Zealand botanists 
hoped that the preparation of a new flora 
would be undertaken by the late Mr T. 
Kirk. It was known that he had long 
been collecting material for such a work. 
His many journeys, extending from the 
North Cape to the Auckland and Campbell 
Islands, had given him an unrivalled per- 
