362 A DECADE OF WORK AT HOME. [1849, 



good remarks you will like in the second volume of 

 " Genera." 



I foresee an unusually good chance to get rid of the 

 college work a year hence, and must therefore try to 

 overhaul the Exploring Expedition plants, so as to get 

 them into some shape, and next year (May or April) 

 go abroad with them, sit down in London and Paris, 

 and work them off. I will then drum up subscribers 

 for Fendler and Lindheimer. 



I want you to help me a little about Trees ; our na- 

 tive trees up to Cornus inclusive, for this year, for the 

 report I have promised the Smithsonian Institution. 1 

 I wish I had a good assistant ; one who could work at 

 botany. Perhaps I can find one abroad. 



TO JOHU TORREY. 



February 26, 1849. 



Having determined on an expedition for Wright, 

 you may be sure I was not going to be altogether dis- 

 appointed. Accordingly I have got one all arranged 

 (Lowell 2 and Greene subscribing handsomely) which 

 is as much better than Emory's as possible, and thus 

 far everything has wonderfully conspired to favor 

 it. Wright has left me this morning to go to his 

 mother's in Connecticut (Wethersfield) ; there to make 

 his portfolios and presses ; comes on to New York 

 soon ; takes first vessel for Galveston (I expect a letter 



1 Sprague made, under Dr. Gray's directions, some drawings in 

 color of the work planned, The Trees of North America. The work 

 was never completed, too many things, expense, etc., coming in the 

 way, but the few plates printed and colored by Prestele were issued 

 in a small quarto pamphlet by the Smithsonian Institution in 1891. 



2 John Amory Lowell, 1798-1881 ; a Boston merchant, and a lib- 

 eral patron of botany. He bought many valuable books and collected 

 a fine herbarium. He shaped the policy and direction of the Lowell 

 Institute founded by his cousin, John Lowell. 



