50 
quickly 'brough.t to an end. 
We are working on foods and food proTDlems 
which have heen brought up "by the war conditions, 
and I imagine that this kind of work v/ill increase 
as time goes on. 
Mr, Popenoe is still in Guatemala and, I am 
pleased to say, has "been doing excellent work 
there, and v;e now have growing a number of most 
valuable new avocado varieties which are the re- 
sult of his explorations. 
I have v/ritten you at length with regard to 
Reimer's trip, and I need not repeat here that we 
^ hope you will be able to assist him with your wide 
knov/ledge of conditions in China in a very ef- 
fective way. His problem is a large one, as you 
know, and the time which he can spend over there 
is not very long. 
Do not forget that we consider the knowledge 
which you have accumulated a most valuable asset. 
You have begun a great work, and it would be a 
tremendous pity not to carry it further, particu- 
larly during these strenuous times. If you get to 
a point where you think you should return to this 
country and take up quieter work, do not hesitate 
to let me know, and v/e will arrange for your return, 
The information which you have in your head is the 
most important thing now to consider, and that 
means, in other v/ords, your health. Be guided by 
the best doctors you can get and, if anything hap- 
pens which you think I can assist you in, cable 
me, and I will do my best. 
Everyone in the Office sends hearty greetings 
to you and warmest sympathy. 
On May ?4, 1917, Mr. Palrchlld wrote Mr. Meyer in part as 
follows: 
I do not know where you are, but I presume 
you are at Shanghai on your way south, since 
you give us the above address in your letter of 
March '^3 from Ichang. 
I am sending to Mr. Relmer a copy of your 
remarks v/ith regard to P yrus calleryana . Mr. 
Cordley came to see me, and it has been decided 
that Mr. Reimer will be given an opportunity to 
study the Oriental pears in Japan and China. 
He expects to leave some time in July, While it 
is quite true that the stay over there will prob- 
ably be too short to enable hira to get very large 
December 31, 1917, 
