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tance of Dr. John Torrey, with whom he had already entered 

 into a correspondence which lasted through the latter's life.* Dr. 

 Torrey was, at that time, undoubtedly the most distinguished 

 botanist in America, and his strong and marked character im- 

 pressed itself firmly upon the mind of young Gray. 



Dr. Gray's early interests were not confined to botany alone, 

 for, about this time, he delivered lectures on chemistry, mineral- 

 ogy and geology,f as well as botany, at Mr. Bartlett's school in 

 Utica. In 1833 Dr. Gray became the assistant of Dr. Torrey, 

 who held the position of Professor of Chemistry and Botany in 

 the N. Y. College of Physicians and Surgeons, and from this time 

 Dr. Gray's hfe was entirely devoted to his favorite science. While 



*The earliest letter preserved, of Dr. Cray's botanical correspondence with Dr., 

 Torrey, is dated January ist, 1831, Gray being at that time twenty years of age. It is 

 in answer to a letter from Dr. Torrey wiih reference to some plants sent him by Gray 

 a short time before. The letter here follows : 



Bridgewater, ONEn)A Co., N. Y., Jan. ist, 1831. 

 Dear Sir : — 



I received your letter through Prof. Hadley a few weeks since, and I embrace the 

 earliest opportunity of transmitting a few specimens of those plants of which you wished 

 a further supply. I regret that the state of my herbarium will not admit of my sending 

 as many specimens of each as T c juld wish, or as would be desirable to you. I shall 

 be able to obtain an additional supply of most of them during the ensuing summer, 

 when it will give me pleasure to supply you with those, or any other interesting plants 

 which I may meet with. I seiid you a ftw Grasses, numbered, also a few Mosses, etc. 

 When you have leisure, you will oblige me by sending the names of those numbered 

 and rectify any errors in those labelled. If you should be desirous of additional speci- 

 mens, please let me know it and I will supply you in the course of next summer. Vou 

 ask me whether T am desirous of obtaining the plants peculiar to N. Y., New Jersey, 

 etc., or of European plants. I should be highly gratified by receiving any plants you 

 think proper to send me, and will repay }0u, so far as in my power, by transmitting 

 specimens of all the interesting plants I discover. I know little of Exotic Botany, 

 having no foreign specimens. 1 am particularly attached to the study of the Grasses, 

 Ferns, etc. If you have any specimens to transmit to me, please leave them with Mr. 

 Franklin Brown, Atty. at Law, Inns of Court, Beekman St., who will forward them to 

 me by the earhcst opportunity. During the next summer I intend to visit the western 

 part of this State, also Ohio and Michigan. I shall devote a large portion of my time 

 to the collection of the plants, etc., of the places I visit. If you know of any interesting 

 localities, or where any interesting plants could be procured, please inform me, and I 

 will endeavor to obtain them for you. Respectfully yours, 



Prof. John Torrey, New York. Asa Gray. 



# 



fWhen he went to Cambridge in 1842 he presented to Harvard College the collec- 

 tion of minerals that he had made previous to going to New York. The collection, 

 which contains some valuable specimens, is still in the possession of the university. 



