a. 9 
and represents it as a new Sanicula. We have stored the specimen with his 
signature very carefully. But what do you say to a man who can collect in 
five months 1490 species in California? That is exactly as much as up to now 
has been collected by all others together. And then this man has not even 
seen the higher Sierras. However, enough of this. 
“hen I wrote you your box was packed and ready to be shipped, I expected 
it would go with the next steamer. Today I learned much to my surprise that 
none of the four boxes has left. The agent of the Smithsonian told me they 
had too much freight and could therefore not take anything with them which 
would not bring in any money. He promised me, however, to send Gray's box with 
the next steamer. I do not know when the others will leave. They are nailed 
and 3abeled with the directions on them. There is nothing more I can do. You 
can only blame this agent if you receive the box so much later. I also 
reported to Gray and Prof. Baird that they had left. Both wrote me the day 
before yesterday why it took so long for the boxes to arrive. 
You speak of my good nature! Well, inithis case it is not the case. You 
will not receive the box from me, but from Prof. Whitney, I just did what he 
told me. 
That my interest in oaks has cooled off, is not my fault, but that of 
the eastern botanists. Who, for five years, has collected as tirelessly as I 
did and has given away so much without having received a single report about 
the material sent, has to cool off eventually. Yes, Dr. Torrey did not even 
consider it necessary to confirm the receipt of the things I sent him. Often 
I am asked to determine this or that since everybody knows how much I collect 
and then I always have to say: I don't know. Lenormand asked again, also him 
I can only answer: I don't know. I don't lose anything through this negligence, 
but the Survey, since I am not able to get interest in it. Now I am supposed to 
make a catalogue of the plants which grow in the Yosemite Valley; can I do this 
under these circumstances? Certainly not. 
Why could Lesquereux and Prof. Tuckerman do it? Why do these gentlemen 
send me carefully the names of everything I have sent them? 
Then there is the jealousy of Prof. Thurber who feels insulted that 
I did undertake to describe some grasses myself. Did I not send him enough 
specimens in order to give him the opportunity? Didn't he let me write him 
6-10 letters before I received an answer? 
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