157 



"Only a few flowers were obscrvcrl. It was too early to expect 

 them; but those hardy Umhelliferae, Cymopteris and Peuceda- 

 num, with thc^ir leaves and pcfkmcles appressed tf> the ground, 

 were showing their flowers, and the charming Toivnxendia 

 sericea showed its cushioned tufts, of small narrow leaves, densely 

 covered with its large white daisy-like stalkless heads. These 

 and several more, all sq strangly new to me that I did not even 

 know their genus names, made the whole long day of walking a 

 delight. 



"Denver in 1870 was but a small country town of perhaps 

 seven thousand inhabitants. The second day's excursion brought 

 me early into the valley of Clear Creek, to a prosperous farming 

 settlement, and at one of the more commodious of the farm 

 houses, that of Mr. Joseph Dudley, a farmer from Maine, I w^as 

 soon established for the season. The time until late in June 

 was given to the immediate valley of Clear Creek, the plains 

 between them and Denver, and the foothills about Golden City. 

 In July and August I made several excursions to the alpine regions 

 of the more distant mountains; and the autumn months were 

 given to the study of the numerous asteraceous plants of the 

 plains and foothills, many of which were of genera wholly un- 

 known to me. 



"The cactus flora of the region was also something new to me, 

 and attracted much attention, besides bringing me into further 

 correspondence with Dr. George Engelmann, at that time the 

 only botanist of the United States who had ever undertaken the 

 study of them, with the exception of Nuttall and Rafinesque, 

 men of an earlier generation, who had done their work and passed 

 from the scene before ever the real cactus region had been opened 

 to exploration. 



"In response to some questions as to the best method of pre- 

 serving for study the flowers of cactaceous plants, I received 

 from Dr. Engelmann the following. 



" 'St. Louis, April 15, 1870. 

 " 'E. L. Greene, Esq. 

 " 'Dear Sir:— 



" 'So you are in the mountains! Good! 



