The three letters in this collection were written by Bean to British ornithologist Heatley Noble (1862–1922) and mainly concern the genus Magnolia Linnaeus, which Bean was determining for him. The species mentioned are Magnolia conspicua (Magnolia denudata Desroussaux), Magnolia lennei (Magnolia hybrid), Magnolia rustica (Magnolia hybrid), Magnolia soulangiana (Magnolia × soulangeana Soulange-Bodin), Magnolia spectabilis hort. and Magnolia yulan (Magnolia denudata Desroussaux). Crataegus coccinea (Crataegus pedicellata Sargent) is also mentioned.