-3- 



*How much reliability can be place d on the remarks of amateurs and fairly 

 intelligent people, was demonstrated again ^ith the alleged real new variety of 

 grape vine, where only one vine is supposed to be found above the Llano. At the time, 

 I sent you some cuttings. We named it Durst Grape after the discoverer, It was 

 stated that it was as sweet and. fine as the f inest European table grapes, and tastes 

 without pulp, without foxy taste and smell. After trying for 3 years, this year for 

 the first time I obtained the ripe fruits. They were dark black, not larger than a 

 large pea, thus not nearly half as large as the Mustang grape ( Candicans ) and 

 tastes only somewhat sweeter, otherwise just like other fox grapes with foxy smell 

 and taste and pulp. The leaf is smooth shiny green and on the underside is not 

 covered with white hairs, but also smooth. So that was the essential point of the 

 matter. I hope that the cuttings grew at your place. They have at my place. 



Opuntia Davisii has real pretty, yellow-gray flowers, as you correctly remarked. 

 I was in doubt if you could teil from my somewhat poorly dried specimens. Today I 

 am sending you by mail a box füll of fruits of Opuntia Davisii . Unfortunately not 

 all of them are fully ripe and yellow, because I could not collect them myself. 

 Perhaps you will find some seed in them anyway, which however appear to be very small. 

 If these should not be suitable for examination I will again have much riper, yellow 

 ones gathered together. It appears that the seeds are infinitely small, or are they 

 missing entirely? 



Mr. Dapperich of Belleville, III. told me that he believes that from antique 

 dealers in St. Louis one can procure inexpensively the com-olete "Botany of Torey 

 and Gray" to Emorys Mex. Boundary Survey. I would like to have 5 or more if they 

 are available. I already have the Cactacea. Could you perhaps ascertain in St. Louis 

 if the respective volume of Emory's Mex. Boundary Survey is available, and let me 

 know at v/hat price. Then I will send the money at once. Supposedly many representa- 

 tives and Senators have received these volumes and given them to the children as toys 

 or picture-books, and possibly also sold them. Then probably used copies could be 

 obtained. 



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