202 SPENCER FULLERTON BAIRD 



income available from the trust fund in collecting and pre- 

 serving material. This view was accepted by Baird loyally 

 and prevailed during the early years, while the Institution 

 was "getting on its feet" and establishing its reputation. 

 Later circumstances led to a modification of this policy, 

 which, however, must be understood in order that the 

 conditions under which Baird was to work at first may 

 be comprehended by the reader. 



From Spencer F. Baird to William M. Baird. 



CARLISLE, Jan. 3, 1850. 

 DEAR WILL, 



On my return home last Monday evening I found the package 

 of Geological Mss. which I have just finished revising. It is written 

 very beautifully and required no correcting but for errors or inele- 

 gancies into which I myself had fallen. I shall be glad to have the 

 rest as soon as you can finish it, as it is important that Prof. Agassiz 

 should receive it for scientific correction as soon as possible. 



I regretted very much that I was unable to come to Reading on 

 my recent trip. My time however was very limited, and I went 

 entirely on business concerning the Iconographic Encyclopedia, in 

 consideration of which Garrigue paid my expenses. Indeed I could 

 not have afforded the cost myself. I first went to New York to con- 

 sult personally with Garrigue: then to Phila. where I spent all the 

 time in making extracts from botanical books, at the Academy to 

 complete the article on Botany for the Iconographic; then to Wash- 

 ington to get some government maps of Oregon, California, Upper 

 Mississippi, &c. which Garrigue wants to have engraved for the Ic. 

 Coming back I stopped at Haldeman's to see how he was getting on 

 with the translation and elaboration of the Invertebrata which I 

 have committed entirely to him. All these operations kept me very 

 busy, in addition to which I had a jaw and tooth ache with swelled 

 face nearly all the time, which rather bothered me. 



I have got a copy of the Iconographic for you. The first 4 num- 

 bers I have here and send today or tomorrow by Adams' express. 

 The rest you will get directly from Garrigue through the Reading 



