TO A PORTIOiN OF THE CONSULS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



TREASURY DEPARTMENT, 



September 6, 1827. 



SIR: 



The President is desirous of causing to be intro- 

 duced into the United States all such trees and plants from 

 other countries not heretofore known in the United States, 

 as may give promise, under proper cultivation, of flourishing 

 and becoming useful, as well as superior varieties of such as 

 are already cultivated here. To this end I have his directions 

 to address myself to you, invoking your aid to give effect to 

 the plan that he has in view. Forest tress useful for timber; 

 grain of any description ; fruit trees ; vegetables for the ta- 

 ble ; esculent roots; and, in short, plants of whatever na- 

 ture whether useful as food for man or the domestic animals, 

 or for purposes connected with manufactures or any of the 

 useful arts, fall within the scope of the plan proposed. A 

 specification of some of them to be had in the country where 

 you reside, and believed to fall under one or other of the 

 above heads, is given at the foot of this letter, as samples 

 merely, it not being intended to exclude others of wiiich you 

 may yourself have knowledge, or be able, on inquiry, to 

 obtain knowledge. With any that you may have it in your 

 power to send, it will be desirable to send such notices of 

 their cultivation and natural history as may be attainable in 

 the country to which they are indigenous ; and the follow- 

 ing questions are amongst those that will indicate the par- 

 ticulars concerning which information may be sought : — 



1. The latitude and soil in which the plant most flour- 

 ishes. 



