^T. 48.] TO GEORGE ENGELMANN. 453 



not take the expense and trouble of keeping up and 

 increasing one myself. . . . 



So, you kave made the capital discovery, and proved 

 the so-called Anthephora to be the female of Buffalo- 

 grass. I would not have believed it without direct 

 evidence. 



I cannot study it ; it would take me a long while to 

 get the case so before me that my opinion about the 

 affinities of the grass would be of any use ; but it is 

 most interesting, and I beg you to work it out in 

 detail and thoroughly. . . . 



June 6. 



As to your own herbarium, I think you are right 

 for the present. Keep your own ; arrange it on paper 

 of the size of Shaw's. But look to an eventual combi- 

 nation, either in Shaw's lifetime or soon after, and be 

 open to propositions from Shaw ; as, for example, to 

 take your whole herbarium, provide for maintenance 

 and increase, and when ready, to make you director of 

 the whole concern. This duty must devolve upon you, 

 and when it does, with a decent salary, you could re- 

 side up there, throw physic to the dogs, or only take a 

 share in consultations, and have time to do yourself 

 justice in botany. 



Meanwhile, if Shaw would take your herbarium 

 upon proper terms, you might at any time have any 

 particular families of plants with you, in your house, 

 to work at. . . . 



Mr. Shaw has lately written. I inclose his letter to 

 you. I have just replied to it, expressing a lively in- 

 terest in his projected establishment, and offering my 

 best services if he requires them in the way of advice 

 or suggestion. I hope it will be all right in the 

 end. . . . 



