Please write me, giving statement of your plans, when you may be expected to be here again; what you understand that you have to do, and from day to day, as far as convenient, briefly report progress. Doing so you will aid to keep my mind calm and healthy. You will also make sure that you are moving the best you can.

There are two main divisions of your duty in London, as I understand:

First, to visit Hooker and __________ at Kew and study (everything there, but more especially), the Arboretum, its plan and methods; get all the knowledge you can by enquiry and observation (taking notes freely) of what is in it; of the processes adopted; a list of its contents; the manner of labeling, &c. Get specemins of the labels; ascertain who made them, cost &c. Get data [956]for determining how we shall proceed in respect to labels. Present our plan as it stands and gain criticism & comments upon it. Get them to see that this is what you want. (i.e. criticism & comments.) Our plan is on a very large scale & includes an attempt to display the ultimate landscape value of the trees, singly & in groups. Present it modestly but fully, letting them see that you desire in my behalf as I cannot come to them now, and in behalf of John & Eliot, Beadle & all who are directly interested to act upon their advice. Let them understand that we are proceeding under Profr Sargent’s advice, and generally make apparent the docility of our attitude and our earnest and humble desire to make use of the opportunity of all that Mr Vanderbilt will be willing to spend to advance the science, and the popular knowledge of trees and shrubs, more especially with reference to their landscape use, but also with reference to their “utilities.” We hope to have Mr Vanderbilt practically endow not only an Arboretum but a Museum of Economic botany, and a school of Science. That is to say if the Estate should eventually become a School of Arboretum Science and art of a more public character than can be distinctly anticipated, we want to have it in a measure prepared for it, and while—But I said not to go into this. You know what my motives are. You can hint that we want to make the most of Mr Vanderbilt’s wealth and disposition to advance the same public purpose which the Kew Arboretum &c. are so well serving; making the most of American trees, and trying to give object lessons more especially to be taken in connection with Sargent’s work, (book). Explain both the advantages we have and the difficulties of carrying out this undertaking. Let them know that our preliminary & general plan has been submitted to Profr Sargent, that he had it before him for months and in general terms approved of it. Recall as well as you can the criticisms of Pinchot and Beadle and discuss questions of detail, if you find that you can do so without taking too much of their time or boring them. Take such course as you best can to draw them out and get their comments and criticisms; always giving emphasis to the fact that here is a very rich man who for his own pleasure can be drawn to serve art and Science and popular education in a rarely good way.

In general, having no limit of ground to deal with, we want to take advantage of the opportunity to present as many trees as the climate will allow to grow on the ground to the best advantage with reference to study, not only botanically but with reference to their value in landscape &c. &c.—You know the story. It is your business to get all the help you can to improve our plans & carry them, of men who know from practical experience what is wanted for the advancemt of science, for popular education &c. Remember also that Biltmore is to be the principal school of Forestry for America; that we have a highly competent German Forester employed, and have near a hundred thousand acres for him to operate upon. That the Estate will be a great school of forestry, and that with reference to the School as well as to popular education & the Science of arboriculture and Botany, the Arboretum is to be laid out.

[957]

Think it well over; take all the time you want. Do your best. It is a great opportunity for you. Try to make the most of it.

And what I say applies to your talk with Robinson—to your visits to the {…} Garden, to other Arboreta &c.

Remember that you are dealing by rare fortune directly with men of the highest order in your profession. Take time, be deliberate and thoughtful and do your best. Take ample notes, memoranda, sketches and Kodac. You can buy a Kodac, or engage the special services of a photographer.

Your affectionate father.

The other matter of your mission is that of making arrangements for our importation of birds and of deer. The reason we want English fallow deer is that they are much more domestic and more easily kept within bounds &c. than ours. You are to ask Sclater (Sec of the Royal Zoological Garden) if he is living, or anyone likely to be well up in the matter, for advice, more especially as to dealers, and then, consulting the best dealer in animals (more especially deer) make the best provisional arrangemts you can. My notion is that six to ten does (with fawns if possible) and two bucks shall be bought and arrangmts made, probably with steamers from London, for their transport to one of the Southern cotton ports. Whether there shd be a supercargo, whether he should be an expert—or rather to what extent he shd be an expert &c—are questions, with many others for you to consider & carefully discuss & determine. I do not expect you to finally settle anything before seeing me, or probably before consulting Mr Vanderbilt. But you should arrange everything as definitely as possible—even complete arrangements and draw papers subject to Mr Vanderbilt’s approval in the more important points; perhaps to mine in some. Hold the advantage of having an authority to whom you must report—for whom you act—as early as you can. In this way you can get better terms than you otherwise might.

Possibly, before a final & complete settlement of the arrangements is made, I can come to London, but probably not; So you can work definitely to definite purposes in all respects; only reserving the right to consult me and perhaps Mr Vanderbilt—Mr V. if possible. The answer, at least, could be by telegraph.

Possibly, at the outset, Robinson might help you—probably not.