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and there is work enough for a dozen collectors to
do for the next twenty years. Of course my only idea
would be to increase the knowledge of Chinese
trees and shrubs and I should expect to share
anything I got with you. Although my plans are
entirely unformed and probably will amount to
nothing, I feel that I ought to mention the fact
that I am t hinking seriously about China and
have had so much correspondence together on the
subject. I do not know if it is a part of your scheme
for your man to dry herbarium specimens.
Of course it would be a very useful thing if he
could do this, making a set for Kew and,
if possible, one for me of all woody plants.
before finally making up your mind
about the field to be occupied by your collector
I advise you to read those parts of Bretschneider's
book which relate to explorations of David and
Henry. Delavay of course was in a region of unsur-
passed richness and some of his plants appear to
succeed in England and Paris, although we
cannot do anything with them here.
I am ashamed to say there is no
American in China among our consuls of
any special intelligence or information to
whom I could give Wilson a letter that would
be of any advice to him. If you have not
already done so, I should try and obtain
for him letters from Dr. Bretschneider, who
can be addressed at the Botanic Garden
in St. Petersburg. Letters to Sir Robert Hart
from Mr. Chamberlain I should think would
be of very great advantage. He no doubt
could obtain for Wilson a good Chinese
EN