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Correspondence of Charles Mohr and G. W. Clinton |
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The
Correspondence of Charles
(Carl) Theodore Mohr (1824‑1901) and George
William Clinton (1807‑1885) 1877 Vol. 11 no. 192 [J 59] Mobile, May 7th, 1877 My dear friend! I have the pleasure to send you and your esteemed Lady a
sample of fruit raised in my garden. ‑ I hope it will arrive in good
condition and be so acceptable as a dessert fruit as it [is] to us when fresh
plucked from the tree. ‑ It is to us delicious, and perfectly healthy
all members of the household indulge in it [after?] at libitum. ‑ It
comes from a beautiful most ornamental evergreen the Eriobothrya japonica
or Japanese plum tree; If any of your friends wish to raise plants for the
green house, please give them the seeds; it is perfectly hardy with us and
was not injured by the severe last [sic] winter; it blooms in October to
November. The thyrsi of flowers filling the air with fragrance. With my best
regards to Mrs. Clinton I remain very truly yours Chas. Mohr over [Clinton's handwriting] Eriobotrya Lindl. is reduced to
Photinia, by Bentham & Hooker. [no note of receipt] 1877. ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑Vol.
11 no. 192 [J 59] Mobile, May 7th, 1877 My dear friend! I have the pleasure to send you and your esteemed Lady a
sample of fruit raised in my garden. ‑ I hope it will arrive
in good condition and be so acceptable as a dessert fruit as it [is] to us
when fresh plucked from the tree. ‑ It is to us delicious, and
perfectly healthy all members of the household indulge in it [after?] at
libitum. ‑ It comes from a beautiful most ornamental evergreen the Eriobothrya
japonica or Japanese plum tree; If any of your friends wish to raise
plants for the green house, please give them the seeds; it is perfectly hardy
with us and was not injured by the severe last [sic] winter; it blooms in
October to November. The thyrsi of flowers filling the air with fragrance.
With my best regards to Mrs. Clinton I remain very truly yours Chas. Mohr over
[Clinton's handwriting] Eriobotrya Lindl. is reduced to Photinia, by Bentham
& Hooker. [no note of receipt] ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑Vol.
11 no. 220 [J 28 & 27 ‑ two sheets of paper] Mobile, Septbr. 29th, 1877 My dear friend! After my return home from a trip through the region of
the metamorphic rocks of this state I found your kind lines and the package
of plants. Judging from the date they must have arrived a few days after I
had left home. I returned on the 7th inst. ‑ Since the
three weeks that have elapsed by, I was detained every day to very late hours
in my store; so that I had to deprive myself of the pleasure to look over the
plants until the evening before last. I scarcely know how to thank for the
great pleasure you everlasting kindness has afforded me again. Amongst the
California and other western plants are many which I prize highly, as setting
to rest many a doubt about specimens I had before from those regions. ‑
I was called quite unexpected upon a tour of investigation through the
eastern part of our state extending to the N.W. Cor. of Cleburne County,
through the beautiful and intresting mountain districts of the Hill[abee?]
and Bluemountain ranges. A series of analyses of gold ores from these
regions, made by me last winter prompted some parties to induce me to explore
the mining intrests there, which in former time 30 ‑ 35 years ago, had
attracted a good deal of attention. After seemingly utterly forgotten, the
intrest in these old mines has been lately, slightly revived. I have handed
in a preliminary report, of my field work, my analytical work will for some
months to come engage my time; I made a fine collection geognostic as well as
mineralogical of the country traversed; and have given as much attention as
was possible under the circumstances to Botany. I started well provided with
the accoutrements of a botanist, but too soon I found out that I had to leave
them behind me; travelling on horseback, loaded down with my hammers, specimens of rocks, etc., often forced to hurry
over large distances to reach certain points of special practical
intrest, and pushing often my way way [sic] on foot miles through mountain
recesses and wildwood impassable on horseback; I had to give up the idea to
make larger collections when on the wing. I had to pass many an intresting
plant, and of others I could bring home only smal bits [sic], just enough for
identification of the species. Still I have made notes allmost every day marking
the changes in the flora from the coast to an altitude of about 1200 ft. The
season was anyhow unfavorable to botanical aims; the severe drought lasting
from May by unprecedented hot weather; had parched up the open hill sides and
mountain ridges. I travelled often days seeing but very few flowers. The
constant exercise in the fresh mountian air, combined with an occupation that
kept from morning until night all my faculties employed to their stretch by
an all absorbing intrest [sic], had most wonderful effect upon my whole
being. I [second page] stood the hardships of the day as well as
in my younger days, when wandering through the mountain regions of my native
home a young enthusiastic student of nature; All the pains and depressing
influences engrafted upon me by a life of constant confinement, had passed
away like the clouds upon the sky under the benign influences of the sun, and
I am thankful to say I have spent a series of truly happy days. It just
happened that I could get away with out detriment to my business intrests, finding myself materially recompensed for the time I had
to spend in the prosecution of the task entrusted to me. ‑ I hope that with the arrival of the cooler season your
strength has returned; and that you find yourself by this time in the
enjoyment of good health. Please tender to your esteemed Lady my best thanks for
kindly remembring me; At this moment the recollection of the happy hours
passes through my mind, which I was favored to spend with you now just one
year ago. I hope that I shall be able to send you some objects of intrest I
brought home with me; Will a few specimens of Korundum from this state be
acceptable to the Cabinet of your society? I remain very truly yours Carl Mohr To Hon. Judge G. W. Clinton! [no note of receipt. Cleburne Co. is on the eastern border of Alabama state
due west of Atlanta, Georgia. It is crossed by the Tallapoosa River. This
description of his experiences in the gold prospecting area must have brought
back reminiscences of his earlier gold mining experience in 1849. It seems at
first curious how many botanists also had experience in
geology and mining: John Torrey in New York was chief assayer in the United
States assay office in New York City and Leo Lesquereux also did geological
work. A background in chemistry, such as one made in the course of the study
of medicine and pharmacy would come in handy here, and the study of botany,
in its medicinal aspects, would reinforce such expertise in the healing professions.] ‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑ Vol. 11 no. 220 [J 28 & 27 ‑ two sheets of
paper] Mobile, Septbr. 29th, 1877 My dear friend! After my return home from a trip through the region of
the metamorphic rocks of this state I found your kind lines and the package
of plants. Judging from the date they must have arrived a few days after I
had left home. I returned on the 7th inst. ‑ Since the three weeks that
have elapsed by, I was detained every day to very late hours in my store; so
that I had to deprive myself of the pleasure to look over the plants until
the evening before last. I scarcely know how to thank for the great pleasure
you everlasting kindness has afforded me again. Amongst the California and
other western plants are many which I prize highly, as setting to rest many a
doubt about specimens I had before from those regions. ‑ I was called
quite unexpected upon a tour of investigation through the eastern part of our
state extending to the N.W. Cor. of Cleburne County, through the beautiful
and intresting mountain districts of the Hill[abee?] and Bluemountain ranges.
A series of analyses of gold ores from these regions, made by me last winter
prompted some parties to induce me to explore the mining intrests there,
which in former time 30 ‑ 35 years ago, had attracted a good deal of
attention. After seemingly utterly forgotten, the intrest in these old mines
has been lately, slightly revived. I have handed in a preliminary report, of
my field work, my analytical work will for some months to come engage my
time; I made a fine collection geognostic as well as mineralogical of the
country traversed; and have given as much attention as was possible under the
circumstances to Botany. I started well provided with the accoutrements of a
botanist, but too soon I found out that I had to leave them behind me;
travelling on horseback, loaded down with my hammers, specimens of rocks,
etc., often forced to hurry over large distances to reach certain points of
special practical intrest, and pushing often my way way [sic] on foot miles
through mountain recesses and wildwood impassable on horseback; I had to give
up the idea to make larger collections when on the wing. I had to pass many
an intresting plant, and of others I could bring home only smal bits [sic],
just enough for identification of the species. Still I have made notes
allmost every day marking the changes in the flora from the coast to an
altitude of about 1200 ft. The season was anyhow unfavorable to botanical
aims; the severe drought lasting from May by unprecedented hot weather; had
parched up the open hill sides and mountain ridges. I travelled often days
seeing but very few flowers. The constant exercise in the fresh mountian air,
combined with an occupation that kept from morning until night all my
faculties employed to their stretch by an all absorbing intrest [sic], had
most wonderful effect upon my whole being. I [second page] stood the hardships of the day as well as
in my younger days, when wandering through the mountain regions of my native
home a young enthusiastic student of nature; All the pains and depressing
influences engrafted upon me by a life of constant confinement, had passed
away like the clouds upon the sky under the benign influences of the sun, and
I am thankful to say I have spent a series of truly happy days. It just
happened that I could get away with out detriment to my business intrests, finding
myself materially recompensed for the time I had to spend in the prosecution
of the task entrusted to me. ‑ I hope that with the arrival of the cooler season your
strength has returned; and that you find yourself by this time in the
enjoyment of good health. Please tender to your esteemed Lady my best thanks for
kindly remembring me; At this moment the recollection of the happy hours
passes through my mind, which I was favored to spend with you now just one
year ago. I hope that I shall be able to send you some objects of intrest I
brought home with me; Will a few specimens of Korundum from this state be
acceptable to the Cabinet of your society? I remain very truly yours Carl Mohr To Hon. Judge G. W. Clinton! [no note of receipt.] [Cleburne
Co. is on the eastern border of Alabama state due west of Atlanta, Georgia.
It is crossed by the Tallapoosa River. This description of his experiences in
the gold prospecting area must have brought back reminiscences of his earlier
gold mining experience in 1849. It seems at first curious how many botanists
also had experience in geology and mining: John Torrey in New York was chief
assayer in the United States assay office in New York City and Leo Lesquereux
also did geological work. A background in chemistry, such as one made in the
course of the study of medicine and pharmacy would come in handy here, and
the study of botany, in its medicinal aspects, would reinforce such expertise
in the healing professions.] |
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