MI 30.] TO W. J. HOOKER. 279 



and Californian Composite which Douglas did not get 

 (and he failed to meet with many of Douglas's), and 

 others in the States ; as Pyrrocoma with rays. Nuttall 

 ought to send all these to you. ... I know with con- 

 siderable accuracy what plants (Compositae) are de- 

 siderata with you; and I will take the liberty of 

 writing at once to Nuttall, and asking for such in 

 your name. I shall ask for about one hundred Com* 

 positse, and will extend the order to other plants if 

 you desire it. He has, however, distributed nothing 

 beyond Compositae. Pray let me know at once if I 

 have done rightly in this. . . . 



Among Drummond's Louisiana plants is the rarest 

 of all United States Compositae, Stokesia cyanea. It 

 was pointed out to me by Arnott (January, 1839), but 

 I have just examined Greene's specimens. A. G. 



NEW YORK, 20th May, 1841. 



I have diligently labored about four months at As- 

 ter, in which, as I have after all not satisfied myself, 

 I can scarcely hope to satisfy others ; but I do think 

 I have laid a foundation for the student of the species 

 in their wild state. We had very copious materials, 

 but could have done little in comparison without the 

 aid of your collection, for which we cannot be too 

 grateful. I am now occupied with Solidago, which is 

 difficult enough, no doubt, but not to be compared 

 with Aster in this respect, partly because there are 

 fewer species, and the synonymy much less involved, 

 but chiefly because there are few in cultivation. 



We rejoice to hear that Joseph and the Antarctic 

 Expedition are getting on so well. . . . 



No further tidings of the steamship President ! We 

 have not until now surrendered all hope. One of the 



