BOTANY. i 41 
partment to-morrow to be with me in selecting my private property, 
books, etc., from that belonging to the Department. 
Respectfully yours, 
C. C. Parry, Botanist Agr. Dept. 
To the Honorable JUDGE WATTS, 
U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture, Washington. 
The undersigned, botanists, well acquainted with Dr. C. C. Parry, and 
having a high opinion of his ability, industry, entire probity and honora- 
ble character, as well as of his peculiar qualifications for the position, 
acting upon their view of the best interests of the science they repre- 
sent, and sincerely believing that his dismissal must have taken place un- 
der some a a hereby respéctfully solicit that the Commis- 
sioner would take into consideration the propriety of re-appointing Dr 
Parry to the Sree of donk in the Department of Agriculture. 
JOHN Torrey, 
Asa GRAY 
Wo. H. Brewer, Prof. Agriculture in Yale College. 
Danie C. Eaton, Prof. Botany in Yale College. 
Harvard University Herbarium, November 22, 1871. 
— A copy is forwarded to Messrs. Watson, Engelmann, and Canby, 
for their signatures. 
ARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, È 
Withington D. C., November 27, 1871. 
To Prof. Asa GRAY. 
Dear Sm:—Prof. Henry this morning placed in my hands the note of 
Profs. pane Brewer, Eaton and yourself, asking me ‘‘ to consider the 
propriety of reappointing Dr. Parry to the position of Botanist in the 
Department of Agriculture.” The respect which I must necessarily have 
is, that my own self respect and especially the interests of this Department, 
forbid that I should reverse that which I did with care and reflection. I 
did not, to Dr. Parry himself, assign any reason for his removal, sim- 
ply because ke did not afford me any opportan unity to do so. I did not see 
agreeable to me to utter as for him to hear. Nor do I now desire to say 
any thing about Dr. Parry that might disparage him in the estimation of 
his friends. 
Iam, most respectfully, your ob’t. servant, 
FREDERICK WATTS. 
Cambridge, Mass., November 30th, 1871. 
To the Hon. Freperick Watts, U. S. Commissioner of Agriculture. 
Sm :—I have to acknowledge your favor of the 27 inst. in reply to the 
