Box 4, Folder 3: Typewritten Letters 1866-1870

1128 -1288-

1867.

Kew, July 27, 1867.

Dr. I.A. Lapham,

My dear Sir--

I have just returned from a short trip to Switzerland and found your kind letter of July 3 and the most acceptable seeds of Acer rubrum, which I need not say were immediately planted; it is very good of you to respond so quickly to my wishes.

I am delighted to hear that you are appointed a Forest Commissioner, a post that can not but be agreeable and attractive to any lover of the vegetable kingdom. I should answer in the affirmative to every one of your queries. The loss of the old trees at Kew and the rapid destruction of trees as London dilates and advances to us, are drying our atmosphere terribly. We now can not grow a Hemlock spruce without water at the roots; and we have lost all the mosses and hepaticae that once grew on our tree trunks. We find it the best plan to plant thick and cut away afterwards and we raise many of your trees in clumps of evergreen or any brushweed--clearing away as the trees grow.

I shall have great pleasure in looking out for seeds of trees likely to stand your climate and sending them to you in small packets by the Foreign Office which I hope reach you [illegible]-and in winter I could send you a box of European and Asiatic seeds-Any or all American tree, shrub, and herb seeds will be welcome to me as our American collection has much gone down lately.*** The past winter has proved most disastrous to us.*** Many of our trees and a vast number of our hardiest shrubs killed to the ground.

I am, my dear sir,

Very truly yous,

Jos. D. Hooker.

I.A. Lapham.

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1129 -1289-

1867.

Washington, D.C., Oct. 11, 1867.

My dear Sir--

Many thanks for your additional information respecting distribution of trees. It will be very useful for second edition of Cooper's pamphlet.***

Yours truly,

S.F. Baird.

I.A. Lapham.

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Rutgers' College, Oct., 1867. New Brunswick, N.J.

I.A. Lapham,

Dear Sir--

I am very much interested in the subject of a report, made by the commission of which you are the chairman. In regard to the destruction of Forest Trees.*** If you can either furnish me a copy of the report or point out to me how I can obtain one I will be very much obliged.

Yours respectfully,

David Murray.

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Kew, Nov. 4, 1867.

My dear Sir--

I beg to thank you very much for the Zizania seeds, which have not yet germinated, but will, I hope. They have however succeeded in raising it in the Cambridge Botanical Garden.

I have the pleasure of sending you the photographs.

Any American shrub or tree seeds sent to Dr. Gray will reach me and be gratefully received by

Yours very truly, Jos. D. Hooker.

I.A. Lapham.

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1130 -1290-

1867.

Nov. 14. At this place, Milwaukee (Lat. 43 degrees, 03'N) Long. 87 degrees, 56' 10"W). during the half hour succeeding 4 h. 10m. this morning I counted 90 meteors from a window looking [south] directly south. Their direction was between the vertical and an inclination of 45 degrees towards the west, except in two instances when the inclination was eastward. About 1/5 left trains, lasting only for a few moments. The space observed was about 1/2 part of the whole sky. No meteors were seen during the evening of the 12th or the morning and evening of the 13th.

I.A. Lapham.

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Milwaukee, Wisconsin. November 27, 1867.

Dear Sir--

Should the island of St. Thomas fall into our hands, as I hope it soon may, it would be proper to institute an investigation of its climate and productions both past and present with a view of recommending the adoption of such measures as will in a few years restore to the air the amount of moisture necessary for the greatest degree of productiveness. This can easily be accomplished by the judicious planting of tree-belts according to a plan that could be devised after a brief exploration. It is now well understood that such tree belts have a very decided beneficial affect upon the climate and productiveness of a country, as I have shown in the accompanying report of the "Disastrous Effects of the Destruction of Forest Trees in Wisconsin."

The trees may be of a kind yielding useful products, so that their coat will soon be returned to the planter.

Very respectfully,

I.A. Lapham.

Hon. W.H. Seward, Secretary of States, Washington.

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1131 -1291-

1867.

Department of State, Washington, December 24, 1867.

I.A. Lapham, Milwaukee, Wisconsin,

Sir--

I have received your communication of the 27th ult., and will with pleasure in the contingency to which you refer, call attention to your suggestions with regard to the adoption of measures for promoting the productiveness of the Island of St. Thomas.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

William H. Seward.

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Clifton House, Chicago, Dec. 31, 1867.

Dr. Lapham,

Dear Sir--

A lady who has a splendid estate in Wales and cultivates every variety of fern and forest tree which wealth can procure, is desirous of obtaining those varieties of maple and other trees that assume such gorgeous tints in America during the autumn. She would like to know if these trees cannot be made to produce the same colors of the English climate, and what causes cooperate to produce them here.

Not being able to respond to her queries intelligently, I have taken the liberty of asking you to do her and myself the great kindness of enlightening us.

Mrs. Wilkins, the wife of our British counsel here, will return to England in February and is desirous of conveying this information.*** Tourists tell us that the foliage of Switzerland and German is equally brilliant.*** Believe me, sir,

Very respectfully yours,

Elizabeth E. Atwater.

-o-o

1132 -1292-

Chapter XVIII 1868.

1868.

January 30/ In Madison.

Notes.

An artesian well sunk in Richland county by some Germans is said to have penetrated two veins or beds of coal at the depth of 80 feet, thickness of the beds together about 3 feet.???:::

A coal mine in Potsdam sandstone::: Columbia county, Wis.

Sand-10 ft. Limestone-75 ft. Sandstone 25. Coal(?) 3 ft. Sand-10 ft. Water.

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Total 123 ft.

Logs taken at a depth of 53 ft. below the surface of a well in Walworth Co.*** secured pieces with clay attached.*** Wood of fine grain indicating a slow growth, probably white cedar and water in many places with small crystals of Iron Pyrites. The bark has disappeared.

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