SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 
UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 
WASHINGTON, D. C. 
August 30, 1923, 
Mr, Oakes Ames, 
North Easton, Massachusetts, 
Dear Mr. Ames: 
We are forwarding by mail a package containing 
23 specimens of orchids collected in Nicaragua, These speci¬ 
mens we should like to have returned to us, if you will he so 
kind as to name them, for we are asked to return them to tne 
sender. Nr, Schallert of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 
If any of the specimens can de divided, however, you are &t 
liberty to keep portions of them. 
These specimens form a part of a small collection of Nica¬ 
raguan plants that we have just received for identification. 
I was naturally interested in seeing them, for of course we 
have practically nothing from that country, especially from 
the north coast, and even the commonest plants from that 
region are very welcome. Perhaps you may find some new records 
among the orcnids, poor as the specimens undoubtedly are. I 
am writing to Nr. Schallett to see if it is not possible to get 
in touch with the Moravian missionaries who have collected the 
specimens, for perhaps with a little encouragement we may get 
sometning worth while from them, 
Mr. Kaxon may have seen you on his way north recently, and 
if so he doubtless told you that I am planning to go to Panama 
and Costa Rica for four months or so this coming winter. The 
Nepartment of Agriculture, I hope, may take care of my expenses 
in Panama, and the Costa Rican trip will not be an expensive 
one, part of the money for which I shall furnish myself. 
Arranging matters thus, it will be possible to devote my time 
to covering as much ground as possible, without the necessity 
of collecting numerous duplicates, as I had to do last time. 
As soon as my plans mature, I shall write you about them. 
I am hoping to have the opportunity of spending a couple of 
weeks on the Volcano of Turrialba, wdiere scarcely any collecting 
has been done previously. Eor that matter, I suppose it is 
impossible to collect anywhere in Costa Rica without finding 
plenty of new things, judging by the collections that have come 
to us in recent years. 
Sinoe-rely yours 
Paul C. Standley, 
Associate Curator, 
Nivision of Plants 
