SOIL ANALYSIS                                                           
         oFFce: 
  SOLAAYI                                                               
     BLACK ROCK FOREST 
                                                                        
        LABORATORY 
  SHADE TREE,                                                           
        LABORTR 
  GOLF COURSE,                            MTELEPHONER 
VEGETABLE GARDEN                  H. L. MITCHELLCORNWALL 46-J 
AND LAWN CARE. 
                           CONSULTANT IN SOILS AND PLANT NUTRITION 
                                    CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, N. Y. 
 
                                                         February 11 
                                                           19 9 
 
 
 
 
           Professor Aldo Leopold 
           University of Wisconsin 
           Madison, Wisconsin 
 
           Dear Professor Leopold: 
 
           If I may have your permission to do so, I should like to give
your name 
           as a reference in connection with a Civil Service examination
for the po- 
           sition of Biologist (Wildlife) in the Government Service. I believe
you 
           have a fairly accurate idea of my character and ability (if any)
as a re- 
           sult of correspondence with my teachers, tieids and associates,
in connec- 
           tion with the position which you and Professor Riker are attempting
to 
           promote at the University of Wisconsin. You have seen my publications

           and are perhaps better qualified to evaluate my research in animal
ecology 
           than any other person. 
 
           In that this may be of interest to you, I enclose carbon copies
of certain 
           supplementary information and data to be filed with my application.

 
           I have been tld by men in high places in Washington that an appointment

           for me could probably be arranged without too much difficulty
if and when 
           I obtain a Civil Service rating. But I have no Civil Service status
now 
           (did not anticipate the need); and since no examinations for positions
in 
           forestry have been given since about 1955, or are likely to be
for some 
           time to come, it appeared until a few weeks ago that I would not
have op- 
           portunity to obtain a rating. However, the recently announced
examination 
           for the position of Biologist may provide a way to take the Civil
Service 
           hurdle, thus making me eligible for an appointment not only in
the Bio- 
           logical Survey, but in the Forest Service or the Soil Conservation
Service 
           as well (according to the announcement). 
 
           Although most of my training and experience have been in forestry,
plant 
           physiology and ecology, I believe I have credit for enough courses
in ani- 
           mal biology, and sufficient research in animal ecology, to squeak
through. 
           I certainly hope so, as Civil Service eligibility will provide
me with 
           another possibility to fall back on in case your own and Professor
Riker's 
           efforts do not meet with success by July 1, when I shall have
to find some 
           sort of employment. 
 
           I sincerely hope that this examination and the other irons I have
in the 
           fire will prove unnecessary, and that a place can be found for
me at