
          enough for a real good one, unless you very particularly 
 specify what parts & powers are to be 
 sent and what omitted: and if it does not suit 
 you I think you may be too sanguine in thinking
 because I would advise you to get instead a 
 cheaper compound microscope of Chevalier, which 
 is much used here (one stands now before me) 
 which is very good indeed: good enough for any
 thing in structural botany, and which costs 
 only about the price of the simple microscope 
 I have, viz.  about 25 dollars in Paris.*
 I have been using Dr. Wyman's of late, of this
 sort, and it works well. By the way, I have 
 been studying fertilization a little, and have
 got out pollen-tubes of great length: have followed 
 them down the style: have seen them 
 in the cavity of the ovary, and close to the orifice 
 of the ovule. 


 My first views were in Asarum Canadense & 
 A. [Asarum] arifolium; where I can very well see the pollen-
 tubes with even my 3 line doublet! I have 
 seen them fine in Meniyanthes, In the ovary, in 
 Chelidonium! 


 I am lecturing in a popular and general way 
 entirely on Physiological Botany: and offering no encouragement 
 to any to pursue Systematic Botany this year. My 
 great point is, to make physiological botany appear as it 
 should be, the principal branch in general education. 
 Next year I hope to take up the other branch. 


 I am using the Lowell Illustrations (tho' too large for 
 my room) and am having no additional ones made 
 for the College. For simple things I depend 
 much upon the black-board. I have given two lectures 
 on the Longevity of trees, and have a third yet to give, 
 or at least half of another. It is not easy to tell
 you what the subjects of the Lowell Illustrations are: They 
 are quite diverse


 *Dr. Wyman has just come in, and verifys [verifies] my opinion.
 He says the instrument costs only [crossed out: 100 fra?] 100 francs,
 and that Chevalier has no substantive instrument 
 for 500 francs. The 100 francs microscope you might
 be [added: more] confident of selling where you wish 

        