13 Brown Street, 
Providence, R.I. 
April 10, 1926 
Br. B. L. Robinson 
Gray Herbarium 
Cambridge, Mass. 
Bear Br. Robinson 
I have your letter of April 9 and I thank you for the same. 
1 did not expecjr you to go to the trouble that I suspect you have in order 
to reply to it. However, I greatly appreciate the information regarding 
Mrs. Walcott's florth American Wild Flowers. 
Row regarding the letter of Mr. George H. Leland of Providence to Mr. 
Rich, dated Feb. 26, 1926, which you turned over to me on April 2, and 
matters alluded to therein. Mr. Leland lias a herbarium of about 4000 
specimens which he has gotten together in the last 40 or 50 years. As I 
remember it (I saw it on several occasions some years ago) it is well 
organized and well kept up. All specimens are attached to double (folded) 
sheets by means of adhesive strips or thread. They are contained in six 
cedar boxes 13 x 18 x 21 inches in dimension, with an overflow which contains 
all the grasses and ferns. He has specialized to some extent in the ferns. 
About 65 % of the specimens are from Hew England, with Vermont and Rhode 
Island having the best representation. Many of his grasses and sedges were 
collected by the late Prof. Jesup of Dartmouth College. The other were 
collected on his numerous surveying trips (often in out-of-the-way places) 
in the south and west, and also in Mexico. 
Mr. Leland says that some time ago he made provision (in his will, J 
presume) for his herbarium to go to the M.E.B.C. if they wanted it. His 
letter to Mr. Rich apparently was intended merely as an inquiry to learn if 
the Club would, or would not, care for it eventually. He says it is not 
his intention to make the transfer now as he "gets too much pleasure in 
overhauling and studying it from time to time". 1 ventured the opinion 
that the ^lub probablywould like to have the collection when he had no 
further use for it, provided there were no restrictions attached to the bequest 
In reply to this he said there would bw absolutely no restrictions attached 
and the Club would be free to separate any or all of the Row England specimens 
and turn the rest over to the Gray Herbarium or elsewhere, as the Olub saw 
fit. He thought it strange that no reply came from his letter to Mr. Rich, 
but my explanation of the situation apparently cleared away what little 
uncertainty may have existed. 
The situation in brief, as I now see it, is this: He has willed his 
herbarium to the E.E.B.C. if they desire it when the time comes. There are 
no restrictions as to the Club doing anything they desire with it, and he 
sees no reasons for making any changes in his already made arrangements. 
1 assume you will pass this information on to Mr. Hunnevrell. If I can 
be of any further service as an intermediary, or otherwise, 1 shall be only 
too glad to serve to the best of my ability. 
Sincerely, 
J. Franklin Collins. 
