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216 CHANGES AT KEW.
upper cell thickened, rounded, truncate or obtuse, lower cell mostly
attenuated, constriction slight. 42-52 x 19-22 /x. Pedicels very
short or wanting. On Phalaris arundinacea.
Nearly allied to P. sessilis, but distinguished by its larger
teleutospores and different life-history.
CHANGES AT KEW.
The retirement of Professor Oliver from official connection with
the Kew Herbarium could not be allowed to pass without notice
and this was naturally felt more especially by those with whom he
had been associated during his thirty years' connection with the
Herbarium. It was therefore natural that they should have presented
to him an address, embodying their feelings of attachment
to the Professor and their appreciation of his work ; and this presentation
took place at the Kew Herbarium on Saturday, May 31st.
Mr. J. R. Jackson, whose connection with Kew is of even longer
duration, read the address, which was signed by the staff of the
Herbarium and Museum, by representatives from the Gardens,
and by one or two of the regular workers in the Herbarium.
Although no longer officially connected with the Herbarium,
Prof. Oliver is not abandoning the scene of his labours ; and his
continued residence at Kew will enable him to attend periodically
at the Herbarium, and to place at the disposal of the existing staff
the encyclopaedic knowledge which he possesses of the plants of the
world. It is earnestly to be hoped that the time may be far distant
when it will be necessary to place on record an estimate of Prof.
Oliver's completed work. None but those who have had the
privilege of being officially associated with him can fully realise the
unceasing industry, unflagging zeal, and unselfish devotion which
he has brought to bear upon his work ; and it is no exaggeration
to say that it is mainly owing to Professor Oliver that the Kew
collection occupies the leading position which it takes among the
herbaria of the world.
It was of course obvious that the position thus vacated could
only be filled by one man, and that is our esteemed contributor
Mr. J. G. Baker, who has been associated with Prof. Oliver since
1866. Mr. Baker has done more than anyone to bring together
and systematise the scattered notices of the petaloid monocotyledones
: his industry is indefatigable, and his knowledge extensive.
The systematist and the horticulturist alike reckon Mr. Baker
among their chief benefactors : his uniform kindness is known to
all who have ever consulted him ; and to this Journal he has been
a constant and valued contributor literally from the first, for a
paper from his pen appears in our first number, that dated Jan.
1st, 1864.
Mr. Baker's place as first assistant in the Herbarium is filled by
Mr. Hemsley, whom we can also claim as an early and present
contributor to our pages. As far back as 1863, Mr. Hemsley was