^T. 32.] TO W. J. HOOKER. 299 



only to say that everything you can send will be truly 

 welcome. Our stock of European hardy plants 

 (whether herbs or shrubs) is small, and consists of the 

 commonest and oldest-fashioned things in cultivation. 

 These, and every Californian, Oregon, and Texan plant 

 of which you have duplicates to spare us (or seeds), 

 whether hardy or not, ^ — these are the plants I am 

 just now most desirous to accumulate. Greenhouse 

 plants are scarcely less welcome, but of those I will 

 write more particularly hereafter. Can you send us 

 a young Araucaria imbricata and Stuartia penta- 

 gyna? 



My plans for accumulating American plants were 

 put in operation too late last autumn to give us much 

 as yet, but my correspondents throughout the country 

 seem interested in the matter ; some will reach me this 

 spring, and still more, I trust, in the autumn. With 

 regard to all these, as soon as I see them growing, so 

 that I can send them with authentic names, I shall 

 most gladly share with you. ... I shall continue to 

 direct all my energies to the advancement of oiir 

 amiable science in this country, not, I trust, in vain. I 

 have a plan to publish, from time to time, figures 

 of rare or interesting North American plants, chiefly 

 those cultivated in our Garden and those upon which 

 I may throw some light. I think there are persons 

 enough here interested in the matter, including gen- 

 tlemen of public spirit here who would encourage it 

 for the Garden's sake, to nearly defray the expense, 

 which is all I desire or expect. . . . 



What a charming place you must be making of 

 Kew ! What a field for the botanist ! 



