§ SIR ROBERT REID (Dumfries Burghs)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works if the duty of preparing works upon African flora was intrusted to Mr. Dyer, of Kew Gardens, nearly 20 years ago; whether he is aware that this gentleman has published practically nothing on the subject; and whether he will urge Mr. Dyer either to complete the work or to abandon it, so as no longer to discourage private enterprise in the same field?
THE FIRST COMMISSIONER OF WORKS (Mr. AKBES-DOUGLAS,) Kent, St. Augustine'sThe third volume of the "Flora of Tropical Africa" was published in 1877. In 1891 the Treasury authorised the completion of the work, 103 in four more volumes, under Mr. Dyer, on the understanding that one volume would be published every two years. No further volume has yet been issued, although portions of one are in type. Mr. Dyer has been urged to complete the work as rapidly as possible.