9 NORTH AMERICAN SORDARIACEAE 
Dear Sir: Desiring to continue my study of the Sordariaceae, 
I am under the necessity of calling on friends to assist by supply- 
ing the necessary material for the work. I, therefore, take the 
liberty of addressing you on the subject, and trust that I may 
not be encroaching too much on your valuable time. 
As you well know, the various species of the family grow 
mainly on the manure of herbivorous animals, although they are 
often found on other decaying materials. It is my desire to se- 
cure from your locality ten or fifteen samples of dung of the 
horse, ox, sheep, goat, and rabbit especially, and any others that 
may be conveniently secured. These samples should be wrapped 
in separate papers and labeled with such notes as are usually 
taken by the collector. I shall be all the more pleased if you 
collect samples having some of these fungous forms upon them ; 
but do not spend any time attempting to find such specimens. I 
simply ask you to furnish me the material whether there is any- 
thing on it or not; but be sure that it is old—the older the better. 
Old dry pellets such as can be picked up in any pasture or meadow 
are what are desired. I will doubtless be able to cultivate one or 
more species of this group of fungi from every such sample which 
you will send. 
Trusting that you will be able to assist me and that I am not 
presuming too much, I am, etc. 
Old material was especially mentioned in the letters because 
experience had taught that it is the most productive when placed 
under proper conditions for the development of these fungi. This 
is probably due to the fact that crops produced by successive in- 
tervals of moisture load the substratum, as it were, with spores so 
that each successive crop is heavier than the previous one. 
The following friends and botanists contributed material from 
the localities after their names: H. J. Banker, Proctor, Vt. and 
various localities in New York state; Elam Bartholomew, Rock- 
port, Kan. and Gunnison, Col.; L. W. Carter, various localities 
in eastern South Dakota; Professor John Dearness, London, Ont. ; 
Rev. C. H. Demetrio, Emma, Mo.; Professor F. S. Earle, Au- 
burn, Ala. and Lincoln county, N. M., also several specimens col- 
lected by Professor C. F. Baker at Hermosa, Col.; J. B. Ellis, 
Newfield, N. J.; Professor M. J. Elrod, Missoula, Mont.; Profes- 
sor L. S. Frierson, DeSota,. La. (contributed by request of Profes- 
sor W. E. Taylor); E. W. D. Holway, Decorah, Ia.; W. H. 
Long, Austin, Texas; Professor J. R. Towne, Aberdeen, S. D. ; 
