Charles Bessey, Letters, 1880

Museum of the University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt., September 18 1880

Prof. C. E. Bessey, Dear Sir

I have just completed a somewhat careful examination of your Botany and in accordance with your request I take pleasure in expressing my opinion of its merit, I say take pleasure for I am able to do so as it is always a pleasure to commend a good book. The plant of the Botany I like very much. I have been in the habit of

P. S. In the somewhat hasty examination of the book I have been able to give I see nothing to criticize & much to commend. If a more careful examination, & that shall be given it when it is practicable, I find anything which I can intelligently criticize or any suggestions which I may properly make I shall be happy to communicate with you. Though my comments must have no very great value as compared with those of many whom you can readily recall. I thank you for the book. G. H. P.

teaching Botany by lectures & after various experiments I have found that somewhat such an order in the treatment of the different topics as that which you adapt is best & proves most successful. No American work with which I am familiar is comparable to yours for the purpose for which it is designed & I am sure that it will prove exceedingly valuable, both as a text book for College, & as a manual of the subject for the general student. I congratulate you upon the number & excellence of the engravings & the general appearance of the work. I am very glad that so good a work is before our students. over Geo H. Perkins

Easton, Ia., Dec. 17, 1880.

My dear Prof. Bessey,

Since the receipt of your new botanical text-book, some months ago, my circumstances have been such that I could not give it the thorough examination I desired, & hence the delay in acknowledgement. During the past week I have taken it up & gone over it carefully – & must say that you have succeeded in giving a condensed, lucid & admirable manner the best results contained in the works of the great European masters – & placed within reach of students at a moderate cost a volume which can be used in the class-room & laboratory. For this, & the large number of excellent illustrations, borrowed & original, you deserve the thanks of all lovers & teachers of the science. I shall [?] the book into the hands of my students.

Yours very truly, [Thos.?] C. Porter.

Botanical Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y.

Ithaca Aug 16 7 PM N. Y.

Professor C. E. Bessey, Ames, Iowa.

Botanical Laboratory, Cornell University.

Ithaca, New York, Aug 16, 1880.

Dear Professor Bessey.

I have received from [?] Holt & Co. a copy of your Botany. I have not [read?] it with [very?] care as yet but have [?] into it [?] [?] and on the whole am much pleased with what I have seen. Mechanically the book strikes one as being very [?].

[?] [?] you will hear from me [again?] but meantime [where?] [?] thanks for so kindly remembering me.

Very Truly Yours A. N. Prentiss

Botanical Laboratory, Cornell University.

Ithaca, New York, Oct 2[9?], 1880.

Dear Prof. Bessey,

I had [?] [?] to recommend your Botany to a student at the Univ. of Wisconson, who wrote me for information, and stated that he wished to make the study of plants a [specialty?]; and somtime since I recommended your book to my own advanced classes. These facts express as plainly as any words could do my impressions and opinions of your work. I have read nearly all of it very carefully, and some parts of it several times; and I sum up my judgment in the one word, excellent. Not of course that it is perfect, but I find very few things to criticize, and those of no great [?]. Among the things which I specially like is the general tone of the work, which bears the unimitable impress of candor and honesty; the references to [?]; and the suggestions for laboratory work. Of the latter I could work