. 74.] TO J. D. HOOKER. 763 



ing mountains, including Popocatapetl and its more 

 broadly snowy companion, - - with its more difficult 

 name, meaning White Lady, at this season always 

 with cloudless tops. The cypresses of Chapultepec 

 are glorious trees, plenty of them, full of character, 

 and of a port which should help to distinguish the 

 Mexican species from the North American. I wish 

 you could see them. And such old trees of Schinus 

 molle, the handsomest of trees either old or young, 

 the old trunks wonderfully bossed. Is it a native of 

 Mexico ? I thought only of Chili. But it is well at 

 home here. 



Such yucca trees as we have seen on the way here, 

 with trunks at base two or three feet in diameter, 

 weirdly branched, looking like doum palms. Opun- 

 tias of two or three arborescent species, some huge, 

 and other cacti not a few. 



I have still to compare Arizona with the plateau of 

 northern Mexico. But I see they are all pretty 

 much one thing. . . . 



ORIZABA, February 27, 1885. 



Since my former sheet, Farlow and I have been 

 mousing about the city of Mexico, I coughing most of 

 the time, in a clear, dry air and nearly cloudless sky, 

 weather which should be most delightful, but some- 

 how it is bad for the throat (for the natives as well 

 as for us), and the rarefied air puts one out of breath 

 at a little exertion ; mornings and evenings cool 

 and fresh, the midday warm, in the sun trying. . . . 

 Called in a physician, a sort of medical man to 

 American embassy, who came here with Maximilian, 

 and stayed. Very intelligent. Ordered us to come 

 here as soon as Mrs. Gray could travel. Here only 



