550 SHEAR AND STEVENS : Ezra MICHENER 
In working over the first eight books of Schweinitz’ Fungi, I have been grieved 
to find a number of the envelopes either missing or empty in addition to the many 
which rendered valuless by the ravages of insects. —Perhaps the destruction will 
not be so great after we get through the Hymenomycetes, — 
Ever thine with respect, 
E. MICHENER. 
Four other letters of which letter press copies are preserved 
deal with Michener’s botanical interests. In two letters to E. 
Lanning he speaks of exchanging specimens, including fungi, and 
of having received a parcel of fungi from “our friend H. W. 
Ravenel.” In a letter dated ‘‘ New Garden, 28 of 11 mo., 1855,” 
to Dr. William Darlington, who had apparently referred to 
Michener some question of fungus identity, he quotes a consider- 
able portion of Fries description of Penicillium crustaceum from 
_ Fries Systema Mycologicum (3: p. 407, 408), indicating his 
familiarity with this standard mycological work. In a letter to 
Mr. Thomas P. James, dated “ New Garden, 4th of 1st mo., 1856,” 
he requests the loan of another lens—‘‘I greatly feel the want of 
another glass. . . . The powers which [I] have are 20, 30, 50 and 
_ 250, one intermediate between the two last, say from 80 to 150 
would often assist me wondrously.” 
In writing to Curtis of the proposed “Catalogue of Natural 
Productions of Chester County” Michener evidently had reference 
to the work of the Chester County Cabinet, an organization formed 
under the leadership of Dr. Darlington, the object of which was 
“two-fold: first, to form a collection of the natural productions 
of the County; and second, to gather materials for its prospective 
history’’ (8, p. 43). Michener evidently undertook the com- 
pilation of a list of fungi (6, introduction; 2, p.iv; and 4, p. 458). 
To this end he corresponded and exchanged specimens with 
Ravenel and Curtis, especially the latter, until, as he wrote at 
the age of eighty-five (4), 
“There have been some 1200 species of fungi collected and preserved in this 
county, a very large percentage of which have passed under the experienced eyes of 
Berkeley and Curtis, and carry the impress of their determination, it is impossible 
for me, at this late period of life, to eoanee them properly in a catalogue without 
more efficient aid than I am able to oa 
