Rec.dDec. 19 th 

 Ans. same day 



Montgomery , Alabama Dec. 14 th , 1876 



My dear Doctor 



I was very pleasantly surprised when I returned home after several weeks' 

 absence on a visit to my homeland and found that the Agave dissertation had 

 arrived. I hasten to give you my dutiful thanks therefore. At the same time I regret 

 that I no longer am a botanist because that is a requirement for the 

 understanding and appreciation of the book. The one picture put me back to the 

 time when I myself traveled large parts of Texas, New Mexico, Sonora, 

 Cohuahila, Chimahara and Tamocalipes with yourproud expedition and made 

 my assaults upon the tough Agave, the Yuccas and the cacti; when in the years 

 32 and 33 I carelessly and without scientific knowledge of the natural sciences 

 drove you crazy with my deeds and youthful exuberance while I put together a 

 small collection of minerals while crossing the Sierra Madres and later brought it 

 home.- 1 suppose that you have in later years again put on your brown outfit and 



7 8 9 10 

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