BOTANY AT ST. LOUIS 254 
terior of his house, and still fewer were on really friendly terms with 
him, as we ordinarily use that phrase. While he had but little to do 
with his neighbors he never seems to have had any enemies. 
Kggert’s first start in making more money than usual was at the 
time of the great outbreak of the American Phyllozera in the vineyards 
of Europe, destroying immense numbers of the vines and threatening 
the entire wine and grape industry of Europe. It was finally discov- 
ered that the American native grapes might be used as stocks upon 
which to graft the more susceptible European varieties, so that a vine 
was obtained which had roots of the American resistant species with 
the top of some desirable but susceptible European species. This 
work resulted in an immense demand for the seed of some of our native 
species of grapes. LEggert’s knowledge of botany led to his being 
recommended as a suitable person from whom to get these seeds. For 
at least two or three years he made a business of collecting and selling 
them to foreign countries. The business was quite remunerative and 
in the proper season he is said to have made several hundred dollars a 
month in this way. He seems to have kept up his carrying of papers 
at the same time. At first he carried them on his back, taking im- 
mense loads in a bag slung over his shoulder. As his business grew he 
bought a horse and wagon and still later he employed others, so that 
at one time he conducted a considerable business of this kind. He 
never relinquished his botanical work, and in early days he collected 
specimens for sale to botanists and for use in colleges and schools, thus 
making some little money. In later years his left arm and hand be- 
came affected with a partial paralysis which he attributed to his severe 
work in carrying such heavy weights of papers slung over that shoulder. 
His money he invested in farms and similar property, and he suc- 
ceeded in amassing considerable property. In his personal habits he 
was always very frugal, his only luxury seeming to have been his botan- 
ical collecting. In 1896 he sent to Germany for his nephew, August 
Eggert, and turned his greenhouses over to him to run. This nephew 
lived more or less intimately with him. Mr. Eggert was always of a 
peculiar disposition, apparently being constantly a fear of some at- 
tempt upon ‘his life. He had hallucinations in which he thought — 
one had designs upon his life, and these became worse as he grew ol seahd 
His mind was undoubtedly unbalanced, and on the night of April 18, 
imself with a revolver. f 
merase above, Eggert early learned botany and collected ex- 
tensively all of his life. He collected assiduously all around St. ca 
for a considerable distance, and his collection probably represented the 
flora of this district better and more completely than any other ever 
made. He also went on collecting trips to various parts of Missouri, 
y d Texas, and the southeast- 
Illinois, Arkansas, Alabama, Tennessee and ‘exis, 
uine love for botany, and his 
ern states. He seemed to possess a gen 
