44 * EARLY UNDERTAKINGS. [1834, 



An idea just this moment strikes me which, in its 

 crude shape, I will communicate. In eight or ten 

 days I can get to the metals. Suppose I could then 

 get excused, and finish my course here next summer 

 in connection with mineralogy, which for these young- 

 sters would do pretty well; reach New York early 

 next month; set out immediately for Georgia, and 

 remain there until the latter part of May ; return via 

 Charleston ; examine Elliott's herbarium, and return 

 here by the first of June. I may be quite sure that 

 April and May would be healthy, but could there be 

 plants enough collected, especially Graminese, to make 

 it an object ? Please say what you think of it. If 

 you think it will do, I see no insuperable objection to 

 carrying it into effect. 



A few days ago a letter reached me from Professor 

 Lehmann, in answer to my communication eighteen 

 months ago. He is quite desirous of continuing the 

 correspondence. He is now particularly engaged 

 with Hepaticae, and is anxious to obtain our species, 

 and especially original specimens of those described 

 by the late Mr. Schweinitz, etc. He has sent a box 

 (which by this time I hope has arrived in New York) 

 containing about five hundred species of plants and 

 several botanical books. He also writes that he has 

 applied to Nees von Esenbeck for dried specimens 

 of all the species of Aster cultivated in his garden 

 in order to transmit them with the monograph by 

 that author ; but not having arrived in time they 

 will be sent with his next package. I wish to be par- 

 ticularly remembered to Mrs. Torrey and to Mr. 



Shaw, not forgetting my lively little friends J , 



E , and M , whom I very much long to see. I 



had intended long before this to have written to Mr. 



