THE NEW ZEALAND FLORA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13479, 2 July 1907, Page 6

THE NEW ZEALAND FLORA.

Some months ago we reviewed in our columns MV. Cheeseman's "Manual.of the New Zealand Flora," a work prepared ui». der the auspices of the Education Depart- : ment, and which includes a descriptive'ieount of all the known species of New Zealand flowering plants and ferns. . It is now ! pleasing to hear that Mr. Chwseman's book,; ■ which is the outcome of many years' ardu- ' ous and patient labour, lias had a most gratifying reception from botanists in all ' parts of the world. Among those who have communicated with the author, expressing their approbation of the work, the follow-; ing names may be mentioned Sir J. D. Hooker, the veteran author of the "Handbook of the New Zealand Flora," than whom no one is better qualified to judge as to the merits of such a publication, and who writes in most appreciative terms; Professor Thisfleton Dyer, the late director of lvew Gardens; Colonel Plain, the present director; Mr. Hemslcy, the assistant-direc-tor; Professor Vines, of Oxford ; Mr. Writ- : ' ten, the keeper of the Botanical Depart- % ment at the British Museum, together with several other British botanists. Outside': England, the following may be particularised : —Professoi Engler and Dr. Diels, of Berlin; Professor GoebcJ, of Munich; Professor Hackel, of Graz, Austria; Dr. Kukenthal, of Coburg; Dr. Treub, of Buitenzorg; Dr. Coulter, of Chicago; Professor Setchell, of Sail Francisco; and Dr. Maiden, of Sydney. All the leading botanical journals have published commendatory reviews, as Nature, the Journal of Botany,, the Bulletin of the Imperial Institute, the Gardeners' Chronicle, the Botanical Gazette, Flora, Engler's Botanical Year-book, etc. ; The last-mentioned publication, which is the organ of Professor Engler and other German botanists, now taking the lead in' systematic botany, publishes a, long and remarkably favourable critique,' concluding ; with the statement that Mr. Cheeseman's " Manual" "is beyond doubt one of the most important contributions "to floristic botany that has appeared during the last 10 years." The favourable tone of both reviews and expressions of opinion is a matter of satisfaction to the Government, which undertook the publication of the work; and we are glad to hear that the Education Department has communicated with | Mr. Cheeseman, stating that the encomiums which the " Flora" has received is a source of much gratification to the Department, which warmly congratulates him on its success.