JET. 22.] TO JOHN TORREY. 39 



to state more explicitly the duties you wish me to 

 perform ; how much time can be given to collecting 

 plants; what compensation you can afford me, sup- 

 posing nearly the whole summer is devoted to making 

 collections, and three fourths of the whole to belong- 

 to you, or propose any plan which would be satis- 

 factory to you, and I will let you know, very shortly, 

 whether I will accept it or not. I had rather leave it 

 to yourself than to make any definite proposition at 

 present. I am confident we can make an arrange- 

 ment which will be mutually beneficial. 



I need not say that I wish to hear from you again 

 011 this subject as soon as possible, as I must soon 

 make my arrangements for the ensuing season. How 

 large is the class at the Medical College? I have 

 just returned from a visit at Fair/field ; they have a 

 class of about 190. In haste, 



Yours very respectfully, A. GRAY. 



UTICA, January 23, 1833. 



Excuse me for troubling you. I have this day re- 

 ceived from Dr. L. C. Beck a sheet of a work, now 

 publishing, entitled a " Flora of the Northern and 

 Middle States," arranged according to the natural 

 system. I have the sheet commencing the species ; 

 commences with Ranunculacese ; it is in 12mo. 



As you mentioned that Beck has been very secret 

 in all his proceedings, it occurred to me that very pos- 

 sibly you have heard nothing of it, and I thought it 

 right to let you know. It appears to be after the 

 fashion of De Candolle's "Prodromus," condensed de- 

 scriptions and fine print. He still keeps his Ranun- 

 culus lacustris, and has added a new species to that 

 genus, which he calls R. Clintonii, from Rome, Oneida 



