SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
November 24, 1922. 
Mr. Oakes Arnes, 
355 Commonwealth Avenue, 
Boston, Massachusetts. 
Bear Mr. Ames: 
We are forwarding by prepaid express a box containing 350 
specimens of orchids, 293 of which are sent as an exchange, and 
5? are those which I obtained this year in Central America. 
In the case of the latter you will no doubt be greatly 
disappointed, as I am myself, but I certainly made every effort 
to hunt out the plants of this group, and the only reason for 
the insignificant number obtained is the fact that more could 
not be found. In one cf my earlier letters I stated that I 
did not find many orchids, but I fear that the statement may 
net have been taken quite so literally. In Guatemala all my 
work was done upon the coast, where few orchids can be expected, 
and in Salvador the climate is too dry for them, to say nothing 
of the fact that everywhere the mountains have been cleared off 
in order to plant coffee. The best localities for orchids and 
other epiphytes are also the best places for coffee plantations, 
which often extend right up to the summit of the volcanoes. It 
is superfluous to state that I deeply regret my lack cf success 
in collecting this group of plants, but even now I do not see 
how I could have done any better. Most of the orchids seem to 
blossom in the wet season, and then it would probably be 
possible to get more species in Salvador, especially those which 
drop their leaves after the rains cease. 
I am honing to go to Central America again next winter, 
and then I hope I may find a more favorable region for orchid 
collecting. As yet I am uncertain as to what part of the re¬ 
gion I shall try to go. Honduras and Nicaragua are the countries 
from which we have the smallest collections, but Mr. Maxon is 
inclined to believe, as I do myself, that the most remunerative 
results could be obtained in Costa Rica. Although so much col¬ 
lecting has already been done there, it seems that the flora 
has scarcely been touched, for everjr collection that comes in 
contains new species, and I believe that we have in the herbarium 
several hundred awaiting description. For that matter, it is 
immaterial in what part of Central America one collects, for 
no portion is at all well known at present. Collections ob¬ 
tained recently around Guatemala City, the most easily accessible 
and longest known portion cf Central America, contain new plants 
of various groups. 
