73 South Row Kensal Ne^ Town 

 London, Feb. 15, 1871 



Highly honored DoctorJ 



What will and must you think of me, that I have not sooner and at a time 

 that politeness demands, expressed my heartiest thanks to you for your kindness 

 in sending me your excellent work about cacti. I also owe you great thanks for 

 the seed, which you kindly sent to me early last year. I have disposed of them 

 according to your desire, in that I gave to Dr. Weber that which you intended 

 for him. Do not think that it is because of ingratitude or forgetfulness that 

 I did not express my thanks to you at the proper time. ünfortunately I have had 

 so much to do, here as well as in Paris, that I could not always keep up with my 

 business matters, as I wished. And so it happens that many written matters are 

 postponed from day to day, which often causes me much worry. I do not think that 

 one day has passed when I did not think with pleasure of the days, which I had the 

 pleasure of spending with you in my gar den in Paris. 



Regarding the seeds, they germinated very well, ünfortunately I am not in 

 a position now to teil you what happened to the young plants, because the ill-fated 

 war between France and Germany has kept me away from France for over 6 months. 

 This war has brought so much misfortune and worry to so many people and so many 

 innocent ones had to suffer under it. My family and I also had our share to carry. 

 Last year on the 9th of August, when I wanted to return to Paris for a while, I 

 learned that entry into France was forbidden to all Germans. The local French consul 

 had advised me to direct a petition to the Ministry of the Interior there, which 

 under the circumstances of my position would probably permit my entry into France and 

 Paris. However all efforts were in vain; in fact a short time later, all Germans in 

 France were expelled. So it came about, because all of my assistants were Germans, 

 my business was left in Charge of 2 inexperienced Frenchmen. Since the siege I was 

 closed off from all communication. You can easily imagine how I was worried during 

 this time about the preservation of my collections there. Only day before yesterday 

 I received word, after believing everything was lost, that all plants are in good 

 condition. This Information has released me from great worry and I hope, since an 

 early peace is before us, that I can return to Paris before long, where I will then 

 soon take the liberty to send you a report regarding the development of the seedlings. 

 Often I had the honor to see Dr. Weber, before the outbreak of the war, but since 

 being here I am uncertain about his condition and present whereabouts. I hope that 

 he escaped all of the dangers of the war. 



