BOTANICAL INDEX, 
27 
Minneapolis, Minn., October 17, 1879. 
L. B. Case. — Dear Sir: Have you Lake Minnetonka on your list of places in 
which the Nelumbium Luteum is found? If you have not, I have the pleasure of 
making this additional locality of that interesting Lily known to you. It is at the 
extreme head of the lake, on one side of a small, lovely bay, and the bed of Lilies 
extends about eighty feet in length and, perhaps, fifteen in width. The outer ones 
are in quite deep water, some of the stalks being nine or ten feet long. It has not 
been found in any other place about the lake, nor anywhere else in this state that I 
have heard of. The wild Calla grows in many places in this state. 
The Trailing Arbutus is found in abundance near Duluth, but resists all attempts 
to cultivate it in this locality. Respectfully Yours, P. A. Atwater. 
Peru, Indiana, September 17, 1879. 
L. B. Case. — Dear Sir : I have been expecting to meet you, but thus far have 
not been so fortunate. As I told you I would, I made a hurried trip to Yew Mexico. 
I saw the Pueblo Indians, and brought home specimens of their ware. When cross- 
ing the “Raton Mountains’ I was surprised to find very beautiful flowers, and I ar- 
ranged for seeds when they matured. I enclose three packages, which if you will 
propagate next spring, may interest you and me. I do not claim that they are 
“new,” but in the situation on the mountains, 10,000 feet above tide, they seemed 
very beautiful indeed. They were gathered by an ignorant man, and are not mark- 
ed, so that I cannot tell “which is which.” 
I found a “glorious climate,” beautiful scenery, and a wonderful field for a care- 
ful and learned explorer. The country, although new, is old. The oldest house 
standing on this continent is in Santa Fe. 
The old “Pecos” church is but a few miles from Las Vajos. There the sacred fire 
of the Montezumas went out. It was kept burning there upon the altar until all 
was lost; until Cortez and his troops had over run all those people, and then it ex- 
pired, never again to be revived. “I tell you the tale as ’twas told to me,” and 1 am 
foolish enough to believe it. It has poetical value, if not any other. 
Let me hear from you at your leisure. Respectfully, D. C. D. 
Longford, Tasmania, Oct. 23, 1879. 
L. B. Case, Esq. — Dear Sir: In reply to yours of the 18th of August, I would 
say, Mr. Henry Parcell’s name should not be forgotten in your list. Many parts of 
this little known island (strange to say) is virgin soil to the white man’s foot. The 
gold and tin discoveries have done wonders in opening up our country, and also the 
efforts of the Van Dieman Land Company have been of great benefit, but the explo- 
rations of Mr. Parcell have been of more permanent value to the island than any 
thing else. I do not think there are any Water Lilies in Tasmania, but in Queens- 
land they are unequaled for beauty, and for miles the swamps are covered with 
them. ***** Very Respectfully, Joseph Allen. 
Knoxville, Tenn., Dec. 21, 1879. 
Mr. L. B. Case. — Sir: Yours of the December 19th received yesterday, and I 
hasten to reply. Dr. Ferdinand Rugel was born at Wirtenburg, Ger., December 24, 
1807. He came to this country in 1840, sent by Shuttleworth of Berne to make col- 
lections of plants and shells for him, which he did for many years in several of the 
Southern States and Cuba, where he found many new species. After a time (I do 
not know the year) lie wandered into Jefferson county, East Tennessee, where he 
married, and where he died, January 31st, 1879. He made frequent journeys into 
the more Southern States, being absent for months making collections, the bulk of 
which was sent to Europe. It was part of the contract with Shuttleworth that he 
should not dispose of any specimens in this country. Trusting the above will be 
acceptable, I remain, Yours Respectfully, G. A. 
J. Vander Swaelmen writes under date of Dec. 12, 1879, that he has received, this 
season, from his collector in Queensland a few seed (nuts) of a new dwarf ornament- 
al tree not yet known in Europe, Cerbera nerifolia. The flowers are yellow and very 
fragrant. Mr. Vander Swaelmen is now attempting their culture, with fair promise 
of success. 
