From Robert Caspary   26 April 1866

My dear Sir,

I delayed answering your kind letter of the 4^th of March¹ hoping to be able to express to you the most bright prospect, that I should go to the congress of botanists to be held at London and that I should be perhaps there fortunate enough as to make your personal acquaintance.²

Will your health be strong enough as to enable you to partake of the congress; You are as I see member of the committee.³ How very glad I should be to meet you somewhere, particularly if I could spend a few quiet hours with you.⁴ It was only a few days ago that the decision, that I should go the congress fell to the positive.

I express to you at the same time my warmest thanks for your photography; the circumstance that it is a home-made one, enheightens rather the interest, which I take in it⁵

I shall leave this place by about the 12th of May and go directly without any delay to London. I have a long list of books—and plants; which I want to study at the British Museum and at Kew or to [get] in some garden or other.⁶ I am only sorry, that I can not spend more than 3 weeks at the utmost to the whol tour, as I can not interrupt longer my course of lectures—⁷

I sent to Dr M. Masters a paper, destined for the congress, on a rather curious subject; on the motion or changement which the direction of branches undergos by frost.⁸ I examined last winter 10 species of trees as regards this change by dayly observations. Some trees bend their branches in frost down, others lift them up and still others lift them up in mild frost and head them down in severe frost. All have a movement to the side.

I the hope of seeing you soon face to face with most sincere respect yours very truly | Rob. Caspary