RK-040

The Grove West Northfield. Jan 13 / 5-5 Dear Cousin Belle Yours of Dec was rec'd a few days since. I am much hurried but will 'een try and answer it. So you have left your old home and are now in your new one. But - "the home is where the heart is." I understand you to say your new home has no garden &c So much the better. You will now have the pleasure of creating one to suit your own tastes. You and my new cousin should take counsil with your mother as to the laying out of your grounds. I fancy she has taste of an excellent stamp. I believe too she is a landscape gardener of no mean abilities. You must remember that a small spot ornamented with a few trees and flowers properly - properly placed ^grouped - has is more beautiful than the largest garden and park laid out in bad taste. You have a glorious chance for landscape gardening at the south still I think it is not cared for as much with you as it is here. -

On my atlas the little dot which represents Monticello ^{on the map of Miss} will be found accompanied by a pencil mark and the neighborhood slightly soiled. Now another little dot to the south west of the first mentioned one, will be found to have its pencil mark accompaniment. Heretofore it has been nothing to me but a little dot on an atlas representing a town I scarce noticed. But after this it will be of great interest to me. I shall sometimes forget that 'tis nothing but a black spot caused by a little dab of printers ink and in a day dream see in it an imaginary picture of your home. Father is appointed (by the members unanamously) For Sec'y of the Ill. State Agricul. Society. He is - justly- quite proud of his post and is now at the State Capital attending to the business of the society. He has a large volume of 'Reports' etc to get up and is very busy. Thanks to his many Horticultural and ^often scientific friends he will be able to get up a volume better than any the first

very ones I most want as I can get few of them here. On the other sheet I write full directions as to what I want &c. Do not for a moment suppose that I expect you are going to get all the things I mention or any at all if not conveniant. I thought you might get a few specimens perhaps and it would be a pity not to know what I wanted etc. It may be that it will be quite conveniant for you to collect some things without inconveniance and no matter what it is anything you send would not come amiss I assure you. I have not seen much of Uncle Asa and Aunt Nettie since they were married They are both very busy. Does Will Welch write to you now? I am sorry for Will and indignant, with Uncle Porter. It is too bad for a boy of Wills abilities to be fastened down in that rascally little village His mind don't have room to expand. Uncle Porter will be sorry in time We are having fine times now. No work to do - a good school - fine skating parties and all that - Our school small - (see page 5 next sheet)

volume of any state society in the union. I say first volume because the society is a new one and has not before got up one Upon father will fall the general direction of the affairs of the society and the he will probably receive a salery. With you labor cannot be considered as honorable occupation but here industrial institutions are getting to be of immense interest. This state has a large "Educational fund" - besides the ^common school fund - If not stolen by the politicians This fund would be apt to fall into the hands of sectarian collages. My father Prof [illegible] and some others have been trying to start with th have started with this fund an "Industrial School" that is a Collage for the scientific education of farmers and mechanics There will certainly be a great improvement in the condition of our working classes. These "Indus -trial School" movements are among the shadows of the comeing events I am delighted to hear you have got me some insects and reptiles, continue to collect more I entreat you. You do not well under -stand how highly I prize Specimens of Natural History. Those you collecyt me will be the

Of all insects (except butterfiles which cannot be preserved in alcohol. Worms I don't want) - put in all you can get up to 50 of each species. I would like ten or twenty specimens of each kind of snake under one foot long and of the small frogs and lizards of the larger reptiles put in from two to six according to the size. If Mr Lamkin is fond of fishing put in some of the small fishes he may catch. I would much like to get some of the ^southern moles and field mice. If you should even find any in your garden admit them to the spiritual companionship of the snakes etc in your collecting jar. I would like three or four young alligators if not over a foot or so long. If some could be procured that had lately left the eggs and were only a few inches long a dozen would be better. Of all the poisonous snakes the more the better. The liquor in which specimens are preserved should be spirit of about 60 percent. At all times the specimens must be perfectly covered with liquor and the jar of other vessel which