de Candolle, Alphonse 



Rec. October 26 



Genève Sept 4 1876 



My dear Colleague, 



I am late in responding but in the meantime I thank you many times for the multiple dispatches contai ning 

 samples and brochures. Your work on the Quercus interested me very much. There is no doubt that several 

 species are extremely variable. As one knows certain countries better, one finds what I have seen in the 

 Quercus flex and Q. robur and that is, that there are multiple types, some very characteristic and others 

 hereditary (probably), and others adapted to the local climate. Thèse are the complicated and unusual facts. 

 More detailed observations conducted in each country, from time to time, will bring about différent opinions 

 than the ones I have. I will never be displeased. ït is sufficient to know that with the materials that I had at my 

 disposai I accomplished everything that was possible. 



At the moment I am working on a paper in regards the similarities of an immense amount of material from 

 herbariums in Berlin, St. Peter sburg, Florence, Munich, Vienna, and a portion of the ones in Kiev, etc. In spite 

 of the many species, I could not flnd the female flowers. In this group the species are very close to each other, 

 but much less variable in the Quercus. My herbarium had very few of your samples from the United States. 

 Thankfully Mr. Boissier's had them in good condition and well labeled. v 



I received the cônes of the Pinus and Agave that you sent me. A remittance has never been lost, but it is slow. I 

 also received the pretty volume on the Flora of California and the leaves that were in it. 



The only sample of the Girandra chirondoidea( 9 ) could not be divided, but a tracing and small drawings were 

 made from the plant by Dr. Muller. Thèse could be of value to you. It would give me great pleasure to receive 

 from you samples of the Gentiacees that you are studying, and in gênerai samples of new species of America. 

 Herbaria like mine, lack many of thèse plants. For example I have very few bulbous monocotyledones. In the 

 old times they were rarely and poorly collected. 



Dr.Gray talked to me about your sojourn in the mounatins of the Carolinas. I hope that you and Mrs.Engelmann 

 had a pleasant time. Here, my wife and I, are also going on an excursion but of a completely différent type. 

 Tomorrow we leave for Holland and Belgium. Those are countries that I do not know well and where I have 

 several friends. 



The small détails that I have to arrange before leaving make me stop writing this letter. I end it therefore and 

 pray that we stay in touch. 



Your most devoted and affectionate colleague. 



Alph. de Candolle 



