University of Nebraska-Lincoln Discovery Documents

Prof. C. E. Bessey Iowa [Agr.] College Ames Iowa

[illegible] Germany

Sept. 15. 1880

Prof C. E. Bessey

My Dear Sir

I have just recv. from yr publisher notice that at [illegible] respect they had [illegible] to me a copy of your book: and also information in a letter from my [illegible] that it had been received. I am sorry that [illegible] and [illegible] from have I can not read it and make a formal notice of it for [illegible] paper. I am [illegible] that it will do [illegible] credit and command a [illegible]. I shall contribute all I can [illegible] and the latter. I am enjoying a [illegible]

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Prof. C. E. Bessey, Iowa Agricultural College Ames, Iowa.

Ames, Aug 19 1880 Iowa.

Book

[illegible] Univ. Nashville [illegible] Aug 16th 1880 Prof. C. E. Bessey

Dear Sit

Your [illegible] of Aug. 11th The Botany [illegible] in due time. I have not had time to examine it so as to [illegible] prepared to criticize it as you invite me to do but so far [illegible] I have looked over it I hav ebeen [illegible] with the book. Your plan differs from that of our [illegible] text looks and in a [illegible] in the right [illegible]

Had it come in [illegible] I would have put it in

the University Register as one of our text books.

I am much obliged for the copy.

Yours respectfully [illegible] Prof. Nat. His. [illegible] Univ..

Department of the Interior CENSUS OSSICE

Brookline Mass. April 18 1880

Professor C. E. Bessey

Ames Iowa.

My Dear Sir.

[illegible] like to [illegible] all note in [illegible] by the 1 of December 1880.

A second copy of the [illegible] well be out to [illegible].

[illegible] for the [illegible] you take in my investigation

[illegible] yours [illegible] C. S. [illegible] [illegible]

Tenth Census of the United States Tree Covering; Forest Wealth; the Lumbering Industry. Chas. S. Sargent, [Harpert] and Special Agt.

Department of the Interior, Census Office, Brookline, Mass., Nov 26, 1880

Prof. C. E. Bessey, Ames, Iowa.

My Dear Prof. Bessey, I am in receipt of the copy of my catalogue with your notes on Iowa trees etc. for which I am greatly obliged to you.

It seems bitter to err on the side of making the trees too low rather than too high but I dare say that I have too often given the size of many species a great deal too small. I have, however, a good deal of information now which will enable me to correct such mistakes in the final report.

Tenth Census of the United States.

[Rhuss typhina] was introduced into the preliminary catalogue entirely on your authority; but as both Engelmann and Parry declare that they have never seen this species west of the Mississippi River I feel that there may possibly be some error in regard to it somewhere. Can you send me an authentic Iowa specimen, that I may have something to show for the statement?

I did not before know that the wood of the Gleditschia could be used for the hubs of wheels. Proper material for this purpose is getting scarce in the United States and I should like to know some thing more in regard to the extent

to which this species is thus used, how long it has been so used and for what kinds of wheels.

Is [Annus] Originiana really arborescent with you i.e. growing up with a single [stem]? With us it takes the form of a large shrub sending up many stems from the ground; for this reason it was omitted from the preliminary catalogue, so also was Sambucus Canadensis which I only know as a large shrub perhaps sometimes fifteen feet high but never truly arborescent. If you have ever seen it really a tree I wish you would tell me more about it.

A copy of the final report will, of course, be sent to you.

With renewed thanks I am Yours very truly, Special Agt.