^T. 56.] TO GEORGE BENTHAM. 559 



We must go and see you and all the great West at 

 some proper season, spring or late fall. . . . 



I germinated for two years Nelumbium, but soon 

 lose them. If you can, send me some seeds this fall 

 to try once more. ... 



TO GEORGE BENTHAM. 



October 14, 1867. 



. . . Yes, I did receive your address,^ read it hastily, 

 and sent it to " Silliman's Journal " to be reprinted. 

 It was too late for the September number, but will be 

 the leading article in the November number. I have 

 read a proof and am daily expecting a printed sheet, 

 which I can send to you, with one or two little remarks. 

 I was exceedingly pleased with it ; so i-s Professor 

 Henry. We both wondered how you could have so 

 exactly hit not one, but several nails on the head, as 

 you have done. It will be much read here, and will be 

 truly useful. 



You remind me that I ought to have criticised your 

 working of Australian Compositse. The trouble is, 

 that, except North American genera, these things have 

 long been quite out of my head. It will be unsafe 

 for me to approve or otherwise till I can get at work 

 a little over them, which it is not likely I can at pres- 

 ent. I just fancy that in your dislike of monotypic 

 genera — which you abhor as nature does a vacuum — 

 you may have lumped up the angiantheous genera 

 rather too much. 



I am straining every nerve to get into a position to 

 get at a synopsis of North American plants, and my 

 present work upon Bolander's collection is a part of 



^ Presidential address by George Bentham, meeting of the Lin- 

 nsean Society, May 24, 1867. 



