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" 'The preservation of cactus flowers is not easy, as they are 

 of a soft juicy tissue and are generally pressed so much that the 

 parts are mashed, glued together and spoiled for further ex- 

 amination. The best method is to press the flowers; but for 

 further examination a withered flower is better than a pressed 

 one, as I see every day, now that I am examining Cactaceae 

 from Nevada, Sonora and Lower California. The withered 

 flowers can be soaked and the parts expanded, which is not pos- 

 sible with hard-pressed ones. 



" 'To make as complete a specimen as possible, it would be 

 well to slice the top of the plant (say a Mamillaria) off, then to 

 get a lateral slice including the youngest areolae or spines, then 

 horizontal sections through the middle, flowers and fruit not to 

 be detached; then press flowers alone in cotton, if possible, and 

 gather fruit; and at last get a flowering specimen and take it 

 along, fresh or drying or dried, just as it chances. 



" 'Collectors that were not botanists have sometimes done 

 better than botanists because they just wrapped the plants up 

 and packed them away. I am now soaking and developing such, 

 and in several instances have been agreeably surprised by finding 

 that in such condition the flowers had matured their seeds 

 sufficiently at least for the botanist, if not for the horticulturist. 



" 'Flat-jointed Opuntiae may be sliced, as you suggest. 

 Don't forget the seeds, or rather, the fruits! We want good 

 fruit (to propagate) even of the common Mamillaria vivipara, 

 which you will meet abundantly, with its beautiful rose-colored 

 large flowers. But Echinocactus Simpsonii is the great desidera- 

 tum, living or in seed. I believe I have described it to you 

 before. It is much like M. vivipara in appearance, but the 

 flowers come out from the top (not from the base) of the tubercles 

 next to the bunch of spines. I have just now before me a very 

 fine form of the same plant from Nevada; but the species, which 

 represents a very curious section of Echinocactus, is not yet in 

 cultivation. 



" 'I am much interested in Coniferae, but believe I know all 

 about these plants in Colorado. 



