Underwood writes me that he has a year's leave of absence most 

 of which he will spend at Cambridge doing some special work that he 

 has lonr: had in mind. I suppose it is on the llepatics. Have you ever 

 met him ? You will find him a jolly good fellow ; and you will enjoy 

 knowing him, I am sure. But you must have met him already. 



Ivy letter was interrupted at this po : nt and I resume it later. 



I have great news for you now, but it is stri ctly confid ential. I 



have : just had a letter from Watson saying what do you think ? 



I am sure you never would guess it. He says that through the liberal- 

 ity of friends a sufficient income has been secured to warrant him in 

 increasing ' he working force at the herbarium. He therefore wants ME 

 (of al3 persons in the world ) to come there and look ^fter the mos- 

 ses, rev/rite the Fi eld, Forest & Garden Botany and prepare a new Manual 

 of mosses. I tell you it took my breath away almost. Of course I hae 

 not given the proposition any serious consideration^ as yet, but I have 



the question staring me in the face now to decide, 

 ary will of course cut some figure and I wish you w 

 data as to cost of living in Cambridge. What will 



The matter of sal- 

 iuld give me some 

 a house of 7 --9 



:-'c: ::. i 'a; ' ; ■; . c ia in a re: .m'V •■ pari of Cambridge cost ? 



and furnace fer 

 ese are the two 

 provisions I can 



Will you tell me cost of fuel-- hard coal-- for range 

 ton. About how many tons do you use in a year ? Tb 

 largest items in the year's expenditure. The cost o 



find in market reports, but these items are not quoted in any place 



accessible to me. If you will tell me about these I 

 timate as to how much salary I shall be obliged to h 



can form sd>me est 

 ,ve. 



