3 
enough breath to do his work well, I am counting lieavilyon the 
results of this' coming winter. 
Just at present I am pushing ahead with an enumeration of 
the orchids of Central and Ilorth America on much the same lines 
that I followed in my work for Merrill’s Enumeration of Philippine 
Plants, I am simply overwhelmed with surprise at the indications. 
Just for a list with bibliography and geographical data, I am 
afraid &ne thousand pages will be insufficient. Is it not wonder¬ 
ful how the laws that govern our destinies, deter ,us from attempt¬ 
ing similar tasksf I suppose the dear neighbors have little or no 
conception of the pleasures that a poor fdfel such as I appear to 
them to be experiences in the tranquility of the stuffy herbarium 
where dried plants are counted as so many precious possessions. 
And then, wheisfethe game is over, and the toys are tucked away, 
the heads that shake when so much wated time is contemplated, are 
on the shoulders of other fools, 
I think I have finished with everything you have sent in. 
If I have failed to report on any of your numbers, senfe^ag- ae a list 
of them and I will report. Sometimes I file specimens away before I 
enter their names on your record-slip, She new things you ae& able 
to follow in that little jch has done so much to identify 
you with the flora of Cos&fc Rica. 
Please send to me more explicit data about that camera for 
which you desire plate holders(?). 
Ihe evening has simply gone. 
Yours faithfully. 
