twenty years, when hardly a month has passed without several 
packages of specimens coming in from numerous collectors , a 
critical survey leads to the conclusion that a broade^feon- 
ception of specific limits must be observed if oncoming gen¬ 
erations are to be able to understand us. At this late date 
I find that a definitive flora of the Philippines cannot be 
prepared because specific limits are not yet clear in too 
many cases. And nine-tenths of the types are in my herbarium. 
In fact my Philippine herbarium has no tqual anywhere in the 
world. 
At this point im my work on the Central American orchid 
flora, I am overwhelmed by the uncertainties caused by lack 
of material. Too often a decision has to be based on a frag¬ 
ment, on a drawing or on a description. Whereas in studies of 
Philippine problems I am able to consult not only the type, 
but sometimes forty sheets of the species from numerous local¬ 
ities, I find in my studies of the Central American problems 
often 
that/I am obliged to meditate before a bcskp. When we ||ive done 
as fine a piece of work for Central America as has been done 
for the Philippines, then the study of the Central American 
flora will be a pleasure instead of a nightmare. But when can 
you see fifty collectors searching the forests of Costa Rica. 
Fully that number of collectors have done botanical work in 
Luzon. Their names are on the labels in my herbarium. 
I am enclosing a postal money order for five dollars to 
cover postage on mailing tubes that you may send to me. It 
would be unfair to expect you to go into pocket for this part 
of our cooperative scheipe. 
Faithfully yours, 
