Asa Gray correspondence files of the Gray Herbarium, 1838-1892 (inclusive). Correspondence with George Engelmann, 1857-1884. Botany Libraries, Archives of the Gray Herbarium, Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Mass.

Answered Sept 8th Kew Aug 25 1857

My dear Doctor

On the [?] of starting I must write a few lines to you to tell you, that I have been here for two weeks, very industrious very much pleased, and hope I have obtained good results. — The Hookers have been very kind and obliging and have assisted me in every way. Grisebach is here since a few days; he has corresponded with you I see, and expects Wrights plants — via Hamburgh he has give me his Flora of the Antilles for you. — How is Wright — has he done any thing in Cactaceae or in Cuscutae etc. Hooker complains of his live plants being miserable so it would not be safe to send any of them to Germany. —

Having had left Kew before I came here — Dr {Willem H. de} Vriese was here these days (going to Ceylon & Java for 3 years). Dr Alexander I oft saw here; Andersson when I had seen

[last page] some living in the U.S. As he is a druggist he can, and may finally become a botanist there again. — We have to talk over a good many things when I come back, which will not be before April I think.

My regards to Mrs Gray

Yours ever G Engelmann

in haste!

in Paris left just when I came. — Dr Hooker was here with me only a few days —

Cacti are only so so here — very striking specimens from the size but not many novelties or great variety. —

But the Museums I would say are the pride of Kew.

Now about Euphorbia: That plant is certainly Aitons {Euphorbia} prostrata (sent by Lindheimemr, Hale, Duran, — I had provisionally named it so.) I have seen all Kew specimens in {British} Museum. When old R. Brown was extremely kind and communicative. Boott I saw also — and poor Carey I hunted up and condoled with him — it is really pitiful to see a man so broken down as he seems to be. He was quite overcome. —

Cuscutae, according to Browns and Hookers advise remain as they are. — Sect. Grammica, Eucuscuta, Monogynella etc. — Monogynella texana will have to bear the name: Cuscuta gamostyla

Cuscuta acuminata Nutt is the real {Cuscuta} californica Chois; and what I had named {Cuscuta} californica (Wright, Hermann) will have to bear Durands unfortunate name "subincluss".

This will set you right for the present in regard to Cusc. of the boundary. —

No change in Euphorbiae I believe.

I got two letters from you here on old one and one of July 29th — have written, I believe, last from Paris.

I separated there from my family who went to the Rhine, while I came here. I shall now join them for a trip to Switzerland where we will be about the same time we were on the White Mtns last fall!

I include a hasty scrawl for Torrey.

At Vilmorin's (charming people) I saw your Datura meteloides etc (Johannes) Groenland, whom you know I believe is going to lose his place there, and asks whether he can get

Arrvd, [Nov?] 26 Munich Nov 10th 1857

My dear Gray

A long silence that! and I long to hear from you all, since every thing is rocking to and fro over the water yonder. Martius told me that Putnam had failed, and that you might likely suffer by him. And how are our friends affected by this whirlwind — which shakes every thing with you a good deal worse that the political agitation of last year, and will I hope help to drive out that every unnecessary excitement — especially as you are going to have your own way now in Kansas, to which I say Amen — though my views have not been altered in Europe. I find people now I wont write about this subject any more.

Since I wrote last I have been to Switzerland, and in climbing mountains and braving storms I have felt real delight, felt the physical energy increasing and vigor and health returning, I can

[last page] and will you advance the money necessary?

— I am anxious to see the work, I have not seen any where of copy of his nob. report, it is not here yet. — and how is the boundary going on?

My Cactus plates are advancing slowly but they are very fine. —

Have you been to Montreal?

DeCandolle will have sent you his complaints himself; when I left 3 weeks ago he had not yet got a box promised by you a year ago (my Cactaceae in it!) and sent off months before. And I have never got those copies of the Synopsis Cact which you was to send after me by the Smithsonian.

This slow management of the Smithsonian packages I hear every where complaints off. — The people here abouts begin to go ahead too — dont want to leave that entirely to the Yankees.

I shall go now to Vienna and then to Italy. You see I will have every thing before I return. Our best regards to Mrs Gray. How is this! Yours ever truly G. Engelmann

I shall buy for Mr Shaw the herbaria of the late Prof Bernhard's of Erfurth, said to contain 30000 species of plants. —

not say, but felt renewed and refreshed. I could not get out of Switzerland; the last days of October found us still there, and perhaps we would not have left it yet if it had not been for the fogs and rains wh and the short days, which at last succeeded in driving us off. My wife and boy walked along with their alpstocks that it was a pleasure to look at — and you and Mrs Gray would have laughted to if you could have seen us climbing the Montenvert {Montanvert} in the thickest snowstorm, botanizing by the way!

I left my folks at Geneva and hurried to Bonn where at the meeting of the Natur wissenschaft Verein I met many old and new friends; then returned to Geneva, made excursions from there, worked with DeCandolle and at Boissier's, went to see Boissier himself at Valeyre and finally came here; just too late to make use of Martius' invitation to come to Schleedorf. the "couple" Martius and daughters are very kind — and we shall spend again this evening there — He can not yet entirely

got over his separation from the botanical garden etc and feels quite sore about it, though it has given him much more leisure to work at his proper department, the [?] and the flora of Brazil. — Dr Schultes who has known you at Leyden, an odd but very obliging sort of a man, sends his respects, Martius says he has written to you a few weeks ago. — But I go on filling the sheet, without saying any thing about the essential posited in your letter.

I have not seen any thing of your parcel brought by Seemann nor do I know that he or it has arrived; am very anxious about it. — I expected 200 copies of both papers on Cactaceae with the plates, and was promised them; whether I get them or not I do not know; at all events I should like to have the stones preserved till then I come back — if that can not be done I will risk to have 200 copies of them (Bigelows Cactacea) struck off. Can you attend to that?

But perhaps you have done so, as you promised — your letter of Sept 8 to send by Bremen steamer "the whole concern".

I get no answer from Hooker and can not hear of Seemann, nor does Grisebach answer my letters.

You never mention your young draftsman — how do you get along with him in your employ.

Your seem a little displeased that I did give up Grammica at Hookers and especially Browns recommendation and not at once at yours. I hope you will not think that I do not value your opinion and advise very highly, but I wanted more to overcome my inclination to treat the genus as the allied genus Convolvulus had been treated and split on precisely the same reasons.

I can tell you however that DeCandolle has confirmed me since in my good purposes.

Torrey has written me a friendly letter to Kew in August, but not since nor has he give me any orders