178

Department of
Horticulture and Landscape
Gardening.

Agricultural College, Mich., Oct. 28 1885

My Dear Dr. Bessey:

For two or three years I have
had in mind the writing of a book to be
used as a companion to Gray's Manual[.] Of
late my ideas have taken a more definite
shape and I have thought that I might
begin my work at Cambridge this
winter. I write you to lay my pleas
before you and to ask your judgement
as to the advisability of the project.

I want it to include all the plants
which the Manual includes, or rather
what a new edition of it will include,
and beside that to include all ballast
plants. I present the object of the
work.

1. Translation of specific name.

2. Geographical distribution of each
species. This to be the leading feature.
I should like to give an epitome of
the whole distribution, both in this