96
this matter but professional botanists — the younger class of botanists seems to think a plant has no right to a vulgar name! My collection is now quite large. Can you aid me with Iowa names? I see [sic.] from one of your plant lists that [?] [?] is called in Iowa, "tumble-weed". What is the application?
Very truly yrs Dr. R. [?]
97
Goodale, G. L.
Personal
Botanic Garden of Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. Aug 19 1881
Dear Prof. Bessey,
On the 3d [prop?]. I expect to sail for Germany to be gone a year with my family, chiefly for Mrs. Goodale's health. As you perhaps know, after the death of my [?] in Apr. Mrs. G. & the children were very ill, & have not yet fully recovered. We expect that a change of scene and air will do much for them.
I write now to say that I can be of any service to you while in G. You must make use of me. My address for the present will be
Rotenburg, [?] B[?], Prof. hanover Germany.
Yours ever [?] G. [?] G.
98
Cambridge, [?] 23, 1881
My Dear Bessey
Thanks for your good letter & kind greetings. I am glad you are taking up the Naturalist, for Botany. We get home on the 6th – but are not yet settled. Now I have done considerable work. Shall be glad to see you in "Jan. or Feb."
As to Pocket Manual of Botany, the simplest solution is one which some of my botanical friends have made, [?], that [?] cutting a copy of my Manual [?] close to the type & binding in limp leather. Copies could be prepared in the [?] if there was a demand, as they could be [sic.] printed on their paper.
Agate or Peal type would be found a nuisance. As to [?]
99
and compactness it is possible that the next edition of Grays Manual may cover a [layer?] geographical space & not be much increased in bulk, perhaps no increase in bulk.
A synopsis with characters [withheld?] to a few words is very [?] to make, too [young?] to use, and in use very likely not to contain the certain [?] which require examination in the field.
I may say to you that I am thoughtfully planning the form and the number and extent of the paying books which I can leave behind me, and which may for a while give something to run the herbarium here after me. I shall be glad [of?] suggestions. The income from the
[2]
[Asa Gray to C. E. Bessey
100
whole lot is not much, but it is important to a man like me who has no salary, and who is devoting his life to a flora of N. American, which, when prepared as a [?] labor of love, does not pay the [sic.] expense of type & paper. I pay for all myself, and as to the [?] of flora issued in May 1878, I have got back only 2/3 of the direct outly to the printer.
I add that I have had in mind the [?] [?] of this flora on this paper & [?] [?] [?] [?] [again?] for portability.
Always very truly James A[?] Gray
[3]
ey 23 Nov. 1881]