1850 TO 1865 273 



six hours duty from nine to three. And the worst of it is that I 

 cannot work less time. The amount is too great, and my interest 

 in my labors too earnest to allow me to feel free after usual office 

 hours. In fact, I am much worse off pecuniarily than at Carlisle. 

 There I could make 1000 or 1500 dollars extra at translating, with a 

 salary of 1000, on half of which I could live. I now fall behindhand 

 on 1500. 



Mary in her letter has told you all the news, personal and local, 

 which I need not repeat, especially as I know nothing of such matters 

 myself. The lectures here are going off finely. Prof. W. B. Rogers, 

 of Virginia, has just finished a course on "Phases of the Atmosphere," 

 which has been well received. The Sillimans, Prof. Felton, and others 

 come on next. Our second volume of Smithsonian Contributions 

 you have seen. The third and fourth will be published next Spring. 

 The fourth will be occupied entirely by a Grammar and Dictionary 

 of the Dahcota language, about 400 pages. So you see we are not 

 idle. 



From S. F. Baird to Dr. William Darlington, Chester, Pa. 



WASHINGTON, March 20, 1852. 

 MY DEAR DOCTOR: 



Your darling project of a complete Arboretum et fruticetum 

 boreali-Americanum, is in a fair way of being carried out. The idea 

 long ago occurred to Prof. Henry, Mr. Downing 4 and myself of having 

 in our Smithsonian grounds such a collection of plants, all carefully 

 arranged and labelled, so that he who rides or walks may read. We 

 already have a large number of trees set out and more will follow. 

 I am glad you had Paschall & Morris send a catalogue to Mr. Down- 

 ing of foreign species, which I hope to see also. Should you ever 

 succeed in effecting the great object it will not be forgotten that to 

 you is due in great part the result of so long urging it upon all inter- 

 ested. . . . 



4 Andrew Jackson Downing, celebrated landscape gardener, to 

 whose memory an urn stands in the Smithsonian grounds. 

 18 



