"I have told my sons and daughters of your kind explanation and 

 intention and I should like to state again how much your interest has 

 meant to us in these circumstances. Very sincerely yours, (signed) 

 Blanche Ames Ames (Mrs. Oakes Ames)." 



Mr. Kane's reply: 



"July 2, 1953. My dear Mrs. Ames: Thank you so much for your 

 lovely letter of June 29. It is indeed a source of great satisfaction to me, 

 and I know it will be to the other members of the Corporation, to know 

 that the placing of the Orchid Herbarium of Professor Ames in the new 

 Botany Building will meet with your approval and that of your family. It 

 is my understanding that not only can this be done in accordance with 

 the stipulation in the deed of the gift of Professor Ames but also that the 

 present members of the Department strongly favor this from the profes- 

 sional point of view. 



"As details of the arrangements are worked out, we will be very happy 

 to keep you informed. 



fct 



With 



Kane. 



** 



44 years have passed since the Orchid Herbarium of Oakes 

 Ames became the property of Harvard University. In 1954, the 

 first official curator, Dr. Richard Evans Schultes, was appointed 

 and held the office until 1958, when the present curator suc- 

 ceeded him. Many of the projects started or inspired by Profes- 

 sor Ames were brought to a conclusion during these four 

 decades. During this period also, new projects were undertaken 

 and new floristic studies completed. Above all, the available 

 facilities have been much enlarged. 



At the time of the gift, the Orchid Herbarium and Library of 

 Oakes Ames encompassed some 60,000 herbarium specimens, 

 over 2,000 bottles of orchid flowers preserved in alcohol, nearly 

 15,000 glycerine slides of dissected flowers and a highly special- 

 ized orchid library of approximately 2,000 volumes. 



With these orchidaceous materials came 



Ames, wife 



Professor Ames. These drawings, each a work of art by itself, 

 lavishly illustrated Professor Ames's scientific writings. The 



of 



truly wedded. 



33 



