Bro Alma L. Smith
For several years past I have been exceedingly anxious to get from your Islands roots and Cuttings from sugar cane for trial in our Dixie land I wrote several times to Bro. Mitchell to be sure to forward & when Bro Cluff came home he brot. Bananas mangoes &c but no sugar Cane roots or Cuttings the very thing we most need & desire. Now Bro Alma I warmly & anxiously appeal to u to send to me promptly by Express some roots & cuttings of your sugar Cane and immediately on their arrival I will forward them by Express to St. George. To facilitate this very important biz. I enclose a free Wells Fargo & Co. Express pass covering free transit of 2 or 3 packages. These u can send at 2 or 3 different times if u think it more seasonable & less risk to do so. In addition to sending by Express please do send every time an Elder or member of the Church comes home I beg of u to not forget this & let us all try till we succeed entirely in esatblishing our independence in all our Material necessities. You must consult your best judgement & others versed in shipping such articles as to the best & safest mode to pack them so as to reach us in good Condition I have no interest whatever in this matter except to subserve a public & general good & to assist in the development of such very necessiry home industries & needs.
Please let me hear from you by return Mail. It may b that u will find it best to hermetically seal up in the tin cans or cases some roots & cuttings If so please dont mind the expense of cases or cans or any other small expense Let me know what it is & I will see u promptly reembursed
I enclose also a pass for any Message u may wish to send me as to what day u forwarded roots &c My suggestion is that u send a telegram to the A & P Tel. office San Francisco by the same mail or steamer that u send -- from time to time -- the much desired plants notifying me of their departure I will arrange so as to receive & promptly forward to St George so as to get them as speedily as possible into the ground. I think it will b advisable to put a portion into hot house here to revive them b4 they r all sent to St. Geo.
Now Bro Alma I will drop this subject with an'ther appeal to your patriotism to b sure & send them promptly & often -- & dont delay writing to me. The Bannanas sent r doing fine at St. Geo. We have one tree in hot house here doing nicely.
St Geo Temple going up finely only about 13 feet more wall to lay up-- Prest Young & Smith r there in good health. They start home abt. 10 Inst & will return after Conference possibly in May. Our new Gov. Arx Axtell arrived this morning He has a good face & talks good.
Dame Lee & Ricks still in confinement. Dont know when trials will b. Had a very fine winter thus
far.
Please give my love to Bro Mitchell & the Elders with u & now again dont forget the sugar cane
Respy &c
A.M. Musser
Address Pkges. to
A.M. Musser Supt. Des Tel. Co. Salt Lake City Utah Wells Fargo & Co Express.