SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 

 UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



WASHINGTON, D. C. 



Pebruery IG, 1911. 



Mr. Walter Dean, 



29 Brewster Place, 



Cambridge, Mass. 



My dear Dear^ } 



Please pardon ne for not ansxvering sooner your letter of 

 January 23d, with letter of ELT.er Btearne. This is the fom'th let- 

 ter of Stearns that has corse to me within the last few weeks , one 

 from Mr. Coville , one from Dr. Britton and one to rse personally, Lut 

 this is by far the best . It is good enough to read before yota- Bo- 

 tanical Club. I kiiow Steajrns, having met him several timeti on ny 

 various field trips. He is a good fellow, but does not know vei-y 

 auch botany. He showe his weak points strongeat in hie letters. 

 After you have read one of them you can then understand why it is that 

 he is a Christian Scientist. 



You will be surprised to learn that I aci leaving for Mexico 

 again. This week, I start for Lower California. At oan Diego I take 

 the Govermnent veesel "Albatross" to sail around Lower California , me.k~ 

 ing numerous stops for the ptu-poBC of collecting cacti. 



Tours very truly. 



Associate Curator, Div. of Plants. 



Eli 



