Hilgard, Eugen. 

 1847, May 7th 

 Belleville, 111. 



TRANSLATION 



Belleville, 7 May iSk?. 



Dear Doctor, 



I realized today that Aristolochia serpenraria will be in bloom within in few 

 weeks and so that I know in time what I have to do, I am already writing now; I have 

 knon Aristolochia only for a few years and, therefore, don't know what is a "good 

 specimen, how many flowers it is supposed to have and then how big the single plants 

 consisting of two specimens have to be"? Can you perhaps tell me which part of the 

 bottom is the best to collect the most? It is mommon enough here, if I didn't have 

 so many competitors who tear up everything without distinction to bring to the 

 apotecaries. Do I have to do anything special Ji* drying the flowers? 



The Sassafras is almost dry and the oak bark is also almost ready; I am sorry 

 to have to tell you that fckx some of the female specimens turned out pretty bad; on 

 the day I collected them I found near the farm only little trees with small flower 

 clusters so that I finally believed that the female flowers are always smaller than 

 the male and I collected a number; then later in the evening I found larger clusters 

 and intended to add those to the bad specimens the next day; but next day I had an 

 attack of fever and before I could climb a tree again, the flowers were gone. On the 

 other hand, I have many sheets more instead of 4, 5 and 7 so that I am able to compensate. 



At what time of the year should I collect Sassafras fruits? I believe I siould not 

 wait and let them laecome too thick since then it would take a long time to dry them 

 which happened last year with an Uvularia which we had in the press for 2 months and 

 2 weeks. Acer saccharinum and Juniperus virg. you dried yourself, otherwise I could 

 also dry the fruits of Acer if the Sassafras would not come up at the same time. 



You will probably already know that Scheele arrived safely after a stormy trip 

 of 62 days. 



Sincerely, 

 Eugen Hilgard 



NB. Please answer me as soon as possible since the Aristolochia might be in bloom 

 eaiier than I believe. 



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