hie pass it) n for strong drink. 
How I have something troublesome upon which to ask 
you for advice and assistance. Some time ago I began work 
upon a sort of a flora of the Canal Zone and vicinity. 
It has no very definite geographic limits. I have taken 
in all the Zone and places near by in Panama that are 
easily and ordinarily reached by the automobile roads, 
launches, etc. At first it was intended only to publish 
a popular bulletin— a volume of the Contributions—giving 
notes upon the interesting and conspicuous plants of the 
Zone, but it seemed desirable to make some record of the 
species occurring there. as now being prepared, there is 
a key to the genera of each family; under each genus a 
rather full key to the species; and after the species 
key there are popular notes upon, the species, gi^-f-S 
vernacular names, local uses, and anything that may be 
o£ general interest. Since most of the common tropical 
American plants occur about the Zone, such a work will 
be rather widely useful, and we have a great many calls 
for such a publication. Half-tones will be used for il- 
lus tra t i on. 
Prof. Hitchcock is going to do the grasses, and Mr. 
Maxon will probably furnish an account of the ferns, 
although the latter may be omitted. The palms are a bad 
group, since most of those occurring about the Zone seem 
to lack names, but it may be that Mr. Cook will write them 
up. If not, I shall have to do them myself. What would 
you suggest with regard to the orchids? I suppose there 
are not more than about a hundred of them, although I can 
see that it would be difficult to,know what to include, 
especially from Mr. Powell's collections. If you could 
find it practicable to prepare an account of the family, 
I should greatljr appreciate it. .1 can understand, however, 
ho?/ little interest there would be in such a piece of 
work. Perhaps it would be possible to extract the inform¬ 
ation from what you have already prepared for the flora 
of Central America,. This I have been able to do, far 
as I have written up the flora. I have phejjared about 
a third of it, I suppose, and it is certainly very useful 
when collections come in for determination. Please let 
me hear your views with regard to this matter. I shall 
be glad to send on some samples as to style, etc. 
With regard to the Flora of Central America, I do not 
feel in any hurry about publishing it, as long as we can 
continue exploration down there. Prof. Hitchcock has begun 
Work recently upon the grasses, and when he completes 
them, I think the first part of the flora will be turned 
in for publication. I still have one part of the Mexican 
Trees and Shrubs to publish, but that is all ready for the 
printer, and will probably be turned in next spring. 
I expect to get back to Central America for a- few 
months this year, but so far I am not sure as to where 
I shall go. Mr. Coville wants me to go to the Zone again, 
and I should rather like to do so, to make this local tlora 
