Sept. 12, 1877, North Hoboken, Hudson Co. N.J. 



Dear Doctorl 



This letter will show you that I am counting on a greater kindness from you 

 than I may and should. However, I am comforted and encouraged by the general 

 experience that the men of science are always ready to give advice, when they find 

 the opportunity to do so. 



Perhaps you are familiär with my name. In fact I am a philologist, but with 

 great love I have also made myself acquainted with natural sciences, of course only 

 as dilettante. As little a botanist that I am, nevertheless Dr. Regel in St. Peters- 

 burg, for whose Garden Flora I at times write small articles, is an intimate friend 

 of mine, also Dr. George Thurber in New York. Perhaps you have also seen my transla- 

 tion of "Mohr fe Weinstock. M 



The purpose of this letter is an inquiry with you regarding Cacti. Already 

 in Germany I collected these interesting plants, which became easier for me because 

 on the continent as I believe, I was the first to be successful in hybridizing 

 them. Here I have continued my endeavors, whereby Dr. Regel very liberally supported 

 me. I am also in correspondence with Friedrich Adolph Haage in Erfurt. From him 

 for example last year I received two varieties of Opuntia Raffinesquii and the 

 Opuntia vulgaris , because I desired very much to determine if we also have the 

 latter one here. However I will not succeed in this before the plants bloorn. 



For years I have been inquiring if not the beautiful cereus Echinopses, Echin - 

 ocactj., etc. which are so excellently described and portrayed by you in the Reports 

 about the boundary-survey between the United States and Mexico, are obtainable 

 anywhere, but in vain. Therefore, I am turning with confidence füll of entreaty 

 to you to please give me Information. I would like to obtain them either through 

 purchase or exchange. Even though I can off er little in the way of cacti, I do have 

 other interesting plants, e. g. over 150 Glematis as well as an almost complete 

 collection of all familiär, beautiful-blooming shrubs and trees. 



IM IUI 



m _ J 



* 



1 



cm 



2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

 Copyright reserved 



Missouri 

 Botan ical 

 Garden 



