71.] TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 727 



made out in the old herbaria, stating investigations 

 which I can only give the condensed result of in the 

 " Flora," etc. Considerable change as to some old 

 species. 



When I have done the Solidago, then Aster in that 

 way. . . . 



TO A. DE CANDOLLE. 



CAMBRIDGE, December 29, 1881. 



I am doubtful if I have written to you since our 

 return, and my New Year greetings will reach you 

 somewhat late, but are very hearty. I could hardly 

 have neglected to send you word of the satisfaction 

 with which we look upon the fine bust of your father, 

 which stands at one end of our herbarium; Robert 

 Brown and William J. Hooker at the other, and your 

 lithographic portrait overhead is replaced by the more 

 striking photograph you gave us. 



At length we are settled in our home ; have had for 

 the twenty-fifth time the annual Christmas family 

 gathering, for which my study, being the largest room 

 in the house, is always upturned and emptied, and I 

 should be quietly at work upon the Compositae, were 

 it not for an attack of lumbago, that uncomfortable 

 attendant of old age, which just now interferes with 

 my activity, without actually laying me up. . . . We, 

 Mr. Watson and I, are still much occupied with the 

 distribution, and therefore in good part the study, of 

 the recent collections which have accumulated here 

 and are still coming in. Much valuable time do they 

 consume. The most interesting are from Arizona, 

 etc., near the Mexican frontier, among which those we 

 have most to do with are by Lenimon and by Pringle. 1 



1 C. G. Pringle ; for many years has explored the botany of Mexico. 



