145

Exeter, N. H. June 15

Mr. Bessey,
Dear Sir,

I beg that you
will pardon this letter with
its requests; my only excuse
is that your criticism and
approval are necessary to me
in a venture I am contemplating.

A part of my daily duty as a
teacher is, and for years has
been, to teach botany orally, to
primary classes. I have never
fully fancied the Child's Book
of Nature, and similar works,
upon which I have had my
lessons; and last Fall, when
a copy of your Essentials of Botany
fell into my hands, I determined