Jan. 23, 1905 



Dear Sir: 



The botanist to whom I referred is Mr. J. 

 Franklin Collins, Curator of the Herbarium of 

 Brown University, Providence, R. I., and whose home 

 address is 466 Hope St., Providence. Mr. Col- 

 lins is thoroughly acquainted with the mosses of 

 New England, and is better able to name them over 

 offhand or after careful examination, than any 

 other botanist I know, expect Professor Farlow, 

 who of course we all recognize as our teacher in 

 cryptogamic botany. 



In collecting mosses, it is absolutely 

 necessary to have the specimens carefully selected, 

 free from dirt, or extraneous substances, and laid 

 out in a careful manner under gentle pressure, 

 so that when dried their general outline may not 

 be disturbed, and then by soaking in water, they 

 easily resume their normal appearance, and can be 

 examined as fresh specimens. These dried mosses, 

 placed each one in its own separate envelope, 

 form a herbarium of reference for the student of 

 mosses, and a student's work is much facilitated 

 if the collector uses this care in obtaining his 

 specimens . 



Yours truly, 



7o a, JtM^ 



