lO NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



A SMALL COLLECTION OF PLANTS FROM CENTRAL 

 NEW YORK, COLLECTED BY DR ASA GRAY, 1832 



A small but most interesting and valuable addition to the state 



herbarium during the past year, consists of a collection of about 130 



specimens of plants collected and carefully labeled by Dr Asa Gray 



in 1832. They appear to have been collected chiefly near Utica. 



The following letter from the donor, Mr John Hurley, president of 



the New York State Board of Pharmacy, contains all that is known 



of their history. 



Little Falls, N. Y. 



Aday 7, igi7 

 John M. Clarke, Ph. D. 



Director's OMce, Education Bldg. 



Albany, N. Y. 



My DEAR Sir : 



Your letter of May 4th at hand Saturday morning, and it gives me great 

 pleasure to note that the botanical collection s'^nt you met with your hearty 

 approval. 



I would state that some fifteen years ago my partner, Mr O'Rourke, 

 purchased a house and lot for a residence for himself (in Little Falls), 

 and while doing some repairs to that house I strolled into the attic one 

 day and I noticed a bundle on the floor wrapped in a newspaper. I brought 

 the same to the store and upon investigation it was found to contain the 



« 



botanical specimens just as I sent it to you. 



In the 1830's, this house was owned and occupied by one Mr William 

 Brooks, a prominent lawyer and a man possessed of some money. Mr 

 Brooks had two sons, one William jr, the other Thaddeus. Dr Asa Gray, 

 who at that time resided in Utica, was a great friend of William Brooks jr 

 and made many visits to his home in this city. From the Brooks home- 

 stead he would roam over the hills and mountains taking in places like 

 Richfield Springs, Cherry Valley, Paine's Hollow and other places surround- 

 ing Little Falls, for the purpose of collecting specimens of botanical herbs. 



On many of these occasions William Brooks jr would accompany Professor 

 Gray on his exploring trips searching for new and fresh specimens. There 

 is no doubt but that Professor Gray intended to transport these specimens 

 to his original collection in the city of Utica, and of course why. they were 

 left in the Brooks home, there is no one left of that family to tell the story. 

 The Brooks family, consisting of two brothers and two sisters, have passed 

 away. 



However, the neighbors remembered very well the circumstances of the 

 visits and stays of Professor Gray with the Brooks family. Thes^e specimens 

 were collected while Professor Gray was a teacher in the city of Utica, 

 and were in the Brooks house from the time they were dated until some 

 fifteen years ago when Mr O'Rourke purchased the residence for a home 

 for himself and sisters. Since that time I have had them in my possession. 



