^T. 46.] TO GEORGE BENTHAM. 427 



I could learn them, if need be, and there would be 

 no difficulty in procuring needM protection for the 

 Huets, they finding their own subsistence. 



I have published two statistical articles, based on 

 my " Botany of the Northern States," in " Silliman's 

 Journal," and a third is now printing in that journal 

 for May. I shall have extra copies to send you. 

 There are other topics I mean to take up, if I can 

 find time. . . . 



TO GEOEGE BENTHAM. 



May 4, 1857. 



Since your letter came I have looked up and read 

 the article in the " Edinburgh," and like it much. 

 Your few words about Genera, page 517, appear to 

 comprise the gist of the whole matter. As to your 

 fuller exposition, not being able to lay hands on the 

 " Literary Gazette," I wait to see your article in 

 the "Journal of the Linnsean Society." 



I am particularly interested in what you write of 

 your popular " British Flora," and the English names ; 

 and I am going to ask you to explain to me more 

 fuUy the principles on which you proceed. For, if 

 practicable, I am going to have occasion to do some- 

 thing of the sort here. Pray illustrate your plan a 

 little ; as I see much difficulty in carrying it out, 

 except in so small a flora as the British, where every 

 plant has a popular name. One additional difficulty 

 here is that our common English names are mostly 

 misapplied ones, and the plants that have indigenous 

 trivial names have too many of them, varying in dif- 

 ferent parts of the country. 



How do you name the orders ? What relation will 

 you have between your specific names and your 



