Mt. Holyoke Col.Dear Carrie, -
If you were here we would give you a dandy cup of coffee - and it is after ten too. We had a little spread tonight, after a lecture on Art by a Mr. Pritchard. The time was short, so we took a sit up to pick up the crumbs in.
The lecture was primarily for the Art and Aesthetic classes that are to go to Boston Art Museum. The first of May, all who wish to of the art classes and the aesthetic classes, are envited [sic] to Mrs. Gardner's at Fenway Court, won't that be fine? I am so glad that I can go.
Now as to Botany Books. Don't I remember that you have a Mrs. Dana Scribner's "How to Know the Wild Flower?" That is one of the best for the identifying of the wild flowers because of the colored plates, with the descriptions. Another similar book, but newer and more complete in Blanchan's "Nature's Garden," Doubleday, Page & Co. N. Y. The Botany department has just sent for "Gray's Manual" (American Book Co.) for the class. (Flexible covers, last edition), but this would be rather dry and difficult for you to use without knowing the botanical terms. But it is the standard for classification and when you once learned how to look up flowers in it, it would be an everlasting comfort.
One of the best text-books for the giving of the terms and foundation, principles of Botany is "Bergen & Davis" [...] & Co. "Principles of Botany" Text-book, but it doesn't have any key for the identifying of the flowers. O! I wish that I could be there and hunt up flowers with you, - and ferns too. That would be an interesting thing to do too. Dana's "How to know the Ferns" makes it so easy and simple. I am going to start and collection and press them this spring and summer if I am not too lazy.
If you have a "Dana", Marian Weston thinks that a Gray's Manual is all that you need for learning the flowers, but if you want to study up the Principles of plant strucutre etc. you would need a textbook like the "Principles of Botany."
This is a regular lecture week. Monday night was a talk to the Student League by Miss Woolley on "Culture" Tuesday the Art lecture, Wednesday night a lecture on the Protasa[...] and the Cancer Problem by Mr. Caulkins. Thursday the Y. W. C. A., Friday a lecture by Mr. Johnson - and I don't know what Saturday night.
I wish that you could come up in the Spring and hunt flowers with me. I hope that I have answered your questions.
With much love
Mary.