60 The Botanical Gazette. [February, 
self almost the entire care of the household, brought up a 
family of nine children, and yet found time to take a deep in- © 
terest in her husband’s botanical work and be his constant aid. © 
To her is largely due the success which he attained as an emi- 
nent salicologist. 
It was about the year 1873 that Mr. Bebb gave himself up 
to the special study of willows. He had shown a growing in- 
terest in this subject for some years, and at this time was cor- 
responding with Rev. J. E. Leefe, the British authority on 
Salix. Even as far back as February, 1861, he wrote ‘‘Salix 
is my pet genus if I have any special preference.” No decided 
inclination, however, was shown in this direction till now. It 
is interesting to note the circumstance that led him to de- 
vote himself heart and soul to this group. He tells the story 
briefly in his own fascinating words. ‘Within gunshot of 
the house was a charming bit of lowland prairie upon which 
flourished the most diversified wild growth of willows I ever 
saw or heard of—my school in the study of this genus.” 
This lay along a creek and was entirely undisturbed by culti- 
vation. Mr. Bebb guarded it with jealous care, and in this” 
school, with nature for a teacher, he learned how to unravel 
many a knotty problem. He soon became an authority, and 
in 1874 he was asked by Dr. Asa Gray to contribute the Sal- 
ices to Brewer and Watson’s Botany of California. It was in 
this year that he published in the American Naturalist his 
first paper on willows, entitled “A new species of willow (S. 
laevigata) from California, and notes on some other North 
American species.” 
In a letter to Dr. Gray, dated January 3, 1873, Mr. Bebb 
speaks of his longing for spring that he might set out his sal 
icetum. This plantation of willows grew to large proportions 
and was of the greatest value to him in his studies. It cov 
ered an extent of two acres and was composed, Mrs. Bebb | 
says, ‘‘of rare and varying forms of our native willows, which | 
were sent to him by correspondents, and also a fine collection of 
European willows sent by Dr. Hooker from Kew.” The labo 
and care expended in collecting, planting and tending this 
willow garden can hardly be overestimated. In May, 1875 
he writes that of one thousand cuttings sent him from Kew 
all came up successfully. 
It was in 1858 that he laid the foundation of his herbariu™ 
and by 1873 it had assumed very large proportions. It con- 
| 
‘ 
