244 THE CORRESPONDENCE OF SCHWEINITZ AND TORREY 
the arrangements for resuming this long intermitted work, when I 
must postpone the subject again for a few weeks till my ‘business 
at Princeton is closed. I have often told you before, that I 
must attend to Chemistry, because I get my bread by it, and I 
love it very, very much. Yet I love Botany more if I may judge 
by the comparative zest with which I pursue the two studies. 
Perhaps, however, if Botany were my task, and Chemistry were 
my play, matters would be reversed. 
I have many things to say to you, but cannot tell them to 
you now, as I must close my letter in time for Maj. Le Conte to 
take it with him to Philadelphia.—When we meet there we shall 
have, I hope, some long talks respecting our favorite science. 
Since I commenced the above I have seen Major L. C., who 
informs me that he will not set out for Philadelphia till Monday; 
so that I can write to you a little more in detail. 
With regard to domestic botanical news, I must be very 
brief. The number of votaries of Flora in N. York is now reduced 
to two, viz. Mr. Halsey and myself. Maj. Lie] C[onte] has given 
up plants, he having gone so far as to announce that he will never 
write another botanical paper! Cooper has deserted our ranks 
and has presented his whole herb™. to the Lyceum. At present 
he devotes himself to the study of ornithology and organic re- 
mains. Halsey, poor fellow, is so much occupied with matter 
foreign to botany, that he can do but little for the science—at 
least his studies are so loose and interrupted that he cannot under- 
take anything like a monography or Flora. For myself, I hope 
to do something effectual before autumn next—perhaps prepare 
a half vol. of my 2nd vol. [89] for the press. 1 am constantly 
receiving fine collections from various quarters—tho’ since | 
saw you last winter, I have had few accessions of indigenous 
plants. 
I know of no botanist at the North who is actively engaged 
but Mr. Oakes. He is a hard-working naturalist, and will cer- 
tainly produce something creditable to himself and the country 
in the course of a year or two. He is preparing a Flora of N: 
>a 
