In sending specimens of plants for investigation it is
desirable to have the leaves, flowers, and fruit, and, in the
case of bulbous plants, the bulbs, also. When they are
sent from a distance it is best to prepare the specimens
by drying them under pressure between folds of absorbent
paper, otherwise the parts shrink and break so as to
be hardly recognizable. When the dried plants are sent
they should be protected from breakage in the mail by
being inclosed between pieces of stiff pasteboard. Packages
weighing less than four pounds can be sent by mail
at the rate of one cent per ounce. Write the name of the
sender on the outside. In the letter accompanying the
specimens state where collected, the date, and any other
particulars of the plant, whether reported poisonous, pestiferous,
medicinal, or other.
United States
Department of Agriculture,
Division of Botany,
Washington, D. C., April 28th 1886
Prof. C. E. Bessey
University of Nebraska
Lincoln,
Dear Sir,
THe Botanist of the Department
is making a distribution of specimens of
the Grasses of the U. S. to Agricultural College, and
I have the pleasure of informing you that we have
this day sent to your address a package of specimens
for the use of your Institution, which I hope will
prove acceptable and useful in the work of instruction.
Respectfully,
Norman J. Colman
Commissioner
