5 Foselßrer Sept. 2, lR6l 



me, to enter into an exchange connection with the Institute, and 

 ask you most devotedljr, to be helpful in this, and teil ne the ways f , 

 on which such a connection can be tied, and to help, through your 

 influenae and recommendation. Would I be successful in obtaining 

 from the Conane ssional Garden nrood cacti, or even only seeds, I 

 would be gladly able, to find.as equivalent f or this, other 



well determined. cacti, which can be furnished by europaean gardens, 

 or, if it should be desired, to obtain plant s fron other fanilies. 

 Por the sarae purpose I turne d last Winter to the Smithonian In- 

 stitution in Washington, but have not received an answer so far. 



The Smithonian Institution- actually released a circular to local 

 organizations 



scientific jacstifcHttaKsr , wherin certain nenbers of these, , who are 

 occupied with special studies, and, who wished girier i can returns 11 ,, 

 were solicited, to announce theraselves to the secretary of the 

 Institute, Mr. John. Though, most likely, "returns" refer to exchange 

 of literature, I still believe, that with the task (on. the reverse 

 slde),,. which the Smithonian Institution has set for itself f that 

 I could dare to attempt, to obtain shipments of cacti, perhaps 

 through your mediation. Until now, this attempt remained, as said f , 

 without results. If, of course, und er present conditions, with the 

 Population of the United States in sulcidal battle-fury, there re- 

 mains a place for scientific occupation, that is a question, . which 

 I cannot answer.. This unholy fight, the roots of which I could re- 

 cognize distinctly already 11 years ago, on who 1 se actual outbrake 

 I never believedf, as I expected a peaceful elimination of the evil 

 based on. the so practical sense of Americans, can have only detri- 

 mental consequences. May either one or the other party be victo - 

 rious, I consider it unthinkable, that the Union, can be fo r ;bified 

 in the old way by arising f^om the battles, but the beautiful 

 country will certainly at the end be exhausted, destroyed, and 

 with 



