CORRESPONDENCE 



Referring to the introductory note at the commencement of the papers on Natural History, 

 it may he proper to explain how it is that the following descriptions of plants should now 

 appear in this volume, and I can offer no better explanation than will be found in the letters 

 herewith presented. 



My best thanks are due to the distinguished naturalists who have thus contributed so largely 

 to the interest of this report, and I trust that their valuable services will be duly appreciated 

 by the powers under whose authority it has been prepared. 



M. C. P. 



Department of State, Washington, April 14, 1857. 

 Sir : I transmit herewith a copy of a letter, dated the 8th instant, from Dr. James Morrow, 

 agriculturalist to the late Expedition, under your command, to Japan. The papers received 

 with it, as well as his report, No. 2, referred to by him, will be held at your disposal if you 

 wish to avail yourself of them for publication in your account of the Expedition ; otherwise they 

 will, as requested, be transmitted to Professor A. G-ray, of Cambridge, for the pupose indicated 

 by Dr. Morrow. 



I am, sir, your obedient servant, 



LEWIS CASS. 



Commodore M. C. Perry, U. S. N. 



Charleston, South Carolina, April 8, 1857. 



Sir : I have the honor to enclose two papers : one page, the determination of the mosses 

 which I collected in Japan, made by Mr. S. Sullivant, and four pages, in two sheets, 

 the description of the algte, by Professor Wm. H. Harvey, of Dublin University, Ireland. 

 These are important additions to the manuscript report, No. 2, on the botany of Japan, which 

 I had the honor to make to the Department of State, in February last. They have just been 

 finished by the naturalists. 



I enclose, also, two sheets of notes from Professor Asa Gray, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, (who 

 has had charge of getting the very best description of these plants that could be procured in the 

 scientific world,) in reference to the publication of the papers. 



Professor Gray can procure the publication of this addition to science, of one hundred pages, 

 describing forty-one new species of plants, and one new genus of plants, with no expense to the 

 government, by the American Academy of Sciences, by whom the circulation, among scientific 

 men, is made most extensive. While, if Commodore Perry does not desire it for his second 



