252

United States Department of Agriculture,
Division of Botany,
Washington, D. C., Jany 18th, 1886

Prof. C. E. Bessey,
Lincoln, Nebraska,

My dear Sir –

The time is now at hand for action
in the matter respecting the advancement of this
Division. I refer to the increase asked for in
the appropriations to enable us to prosecute
in a more able manner the work on forage
and other useful plants and also the new
line of investigations with which I am directly
engaged – the diseases of plants. I remember
with pleasure and gratitude your active interest in
this latter subject at the Meeting at Ann Arbor,
and by report I learned of your good work
at Grand Rapids. I beg to call your attention
to the letter directed to the Commissioner,
prepared at the former meeting and to the
resolution presented by Prof. Beal, at the meeting
at Grand Rapids. These assurances of support
were fully appreciate by us and I