616 TRAVEL IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. (1871, 
have — it to a judicious friend, who has just re- 
turne 
I ee been besought to write notices of the book, 
but I decline. You don’t know how distracted I am 
in these days, — doing the work of professor, gardener, 
builder, financier, and what not, all at once. 
But I must not let this mail pass without sending 
you the little I could get as to Laura Bridgman. 
Through Dr. Jarvis, a medical man, ete., I got the 
queries put to the woman who has now the personal 
charge of Laura, and he brought me the inclosed, 
which [ think I should not much rely on. 
When Dr. Howe is on hand, some day, I will see 
if I can get anything authentic and particular, — not, 
I fear, in time for you. 
TO CHARLES WRIGHT. 
CAMBRIDGE, June 28, 1871. 
. Well, I say the same as then, only I feel sad 
aioad the chance of the “ Flora of North America.” 
What is my béte noire, as I said before, is the care of the 
Garden ; and till I can get rid of that, by some com- 
plete reorganization, which shall result in the Garden’s 
being much better seen to than it has been, — better 
taken care of and better named up and superintended, 
—I shall not be comfortable nor of much use in writ- 
ing “ Flora of North America.” 
I am going to try if I cannot find or make some sort 
of superintendent, and pay him out of what I pay for 
rent of house, and have succeeded in getting credited 
to Botanic Garden fund. This will leave me to pay 
for work in the herbarium (which is the work you pre- 
fer) out of the only $800 a year yielded by herbarium 
fund, which has first of all to pay for books, paper, 
