Locations: Miraflores. San Jose del Cabo. Todos Santos.  

Carl A. Purpus to Katharine Brandegee, 1/5/1901

[1901 Jan 05: 26]

San Jose' del Cabo

1/5/1901

Dear Mrs. Brandegee!

I have been in the Taste region again and found Your Composite in full bloom. It is a very nice little tree covered with flowers, which are allmost white. I hope to obtain seeds for Your garden. I am going to Miraflores next week and from there into the ?eria to collect and to see Palma negra, which may be a new species of Washingtonia. Did You know, that there is a Cereus Pringlei growing here, which has a rose red fruit? I mean to say, that the spines are beautyful rose red. I also have found, that there is a Cereus growing about here, which I think is a hyrbird between C. Pringlei and Pectenn Ab. I will send You fruit and a cutting. I also send You a cutting of that Cereus, which may be geometrizana, as it is not C. Cochal.

My brother writes "as soon as Paris and Edinburgh have paid their bills I send the money -- over 600 Marks -- to Mr. Brandegee".

He also writes, that the directer of Kew-Garden has [fragment missing] ium Purpusi determined as E. petiolaris. I find such an arroganz intolerable. Mr. Brandegee knows the flora of Lower Calif. much better than ?Dyselto ?Dyou does.

Pitaya de ?CaCosta is in bloom just now. It is a beautyful purpule flower, and so much different from that of C. Th? that I think it must be a distinct species under all circumstances. I will send You also flowers and fruit also a cutting, so You may see Yourself. It is still very dry here and not much botanizing until after the rain. I am still after the Rhamnus. I will make a trip from Miraflores to Todos Santos to get it. I have got a letter from M. Barrows. I am sorry, that he has given up Cacti, but I think he is right.

I hope You have received the tubers of that Martynia?.

Very sincerely Yours

C. A. Purpus

N.b. I forgot to write You, that I have found a very stout and long spined form of C. pensilis? hanging from rocks on Taste it was in bloom. The flower is dark mennigrot (red) I don't know what mennige is in English. It is a kind of a color made out of lead. I send You cutting with flower.

Carl A. Purpus to Katharine Brandegee, 2/28/1901

[1901 Feb 28: 27]

San Jose' del Cabo

28/II 1901

Dear Mrs. Brandegee!

Your letter is at hand, also the papers and magazines. First I have to write Your, that I am surprised about all the news You wrote me. I expect Mr. Barrows will give up Cactus. I would like to hear your niece sing once, perhpas I will have the pleasure coming back to San Diego.

I have sent You the two new Cacti (Mamill) I have found lately. I expect You will get them allright. They are very poor specimens, but, as they have been in fruit I concluded to send those -- I do not know if I spell send right or not -- That composite tree I have not found yet neither the Rhamnus, because I was to busy collecting Cacti, but it is plenty time yet. You may be sure, that I will send you specimens. I am going to San Felipe next week to camp there on the rancho Solgado, from there I take in the whole Taste region Serro brieta etc. It is nothing around here, because we had very little rain, but it rained in the Mountains; especially east of Pico San Lazaro. I did not collect much lately, because I am to busy packing Cacti and drugs. Dr. Hoyl finds poisons in Mamill. Roseana, C. Emoryi and M. tetrancistra. It is very important, I have orders for all. If Mr. Barrows would stay in San Diego, he might fill out that of C. Emoryi. I am going to Mazatlan, possibly next month and from there to Tepic and Colima to collect on that volcano there. I speak already a little espanol and understand some too.

What Hybrids do You mean? There is a Pitaya dela Costa growing near a place called "Palmilla". Mr. Brandegee knows it. This Cereus is not a form of C. Thurberi but a hybrid of C. Thurberi and C. gumamansn as far as I can see.

Tell Mr. Brandegee that I have been at a typical mexican dance last night, or course I was only a spectator. I expect Mr. Brandegee will be shocked.

The scoundrel Orcutt is going through a half a dozen states to collect Cacti, he also comes to Baja Calif. as it says in Cacteen Kunde. He sends his Cacti to Belgium now; as he has played out in this country.

I am going to San Felipe on Wednesday.

There is a beetle collector here from New York. He has a letter of introduction to Eisens favorite Froilan and two pair of shoes for him too.

I guess that main Eisen is crazy, otherwise he would nobody give letters to such a man as Froilan.

You may be sure, that I send You everything You wish to have.

Sincerely Yours

C. A. Purpus

Please tell me the name of that Cariba a plant with has stinging haris like a nettle and also of the golden yellow ?Tromape.

[Home Page]
[Published Biographies] [Travelogues and Articles] [Letters]
[Plant Lists and Bibliography] [Site Administration]

Date and time this article was prepared: 6/7/2002 7:33:39 PM