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been admitted to make a part of the university herbarium which is 

 not identified and whose individuality has not been determined. 



In this arduous and difficult work 1 have been aided by Dr. A. 

 AY. Chapman, formerly of Jacksonville, Florida, the author of the 

 best and most complete Southern Flora ever published; also, by the 

 labors of my friend Colonel F. Austin, Esq., of Closter, New Jersey, 

 in the determination of the mosses and lichens. In the department 

 of myoolcgy I take pleasure to acknowledge the valuable assistance 

 of the Rev. M. A. Curtis, D. D., of Hillsborough, North Carolina; 

 but I am more especially indebted to Professor H. W. Ravenel, of 

 Aiken, South Carolina, a mycologist of great reputation, for the 

 eminent services rendered to me in this branch of botany. To the 

 kindness of C. W. \Yheatley, Esq., of Phocnixville, Pennsylvania, I 

 owe the determination of the nnios collected in Louisiana. 



A botanical excursion during the coming spring in the Southern 

 parishes of the State will close the labors of the botanical survey of 

 Louisiana. It would be desirable that the final report should in- 

 clude all previous reports, with the necessary revision to make it a 

 uniform and continuous production; and if neatly printed and 

 bound, it would form a small book of permanent value in a local as 

 well as scientific point of view. I trust you will be authorized to 

 accomplish this object by the specific appropriation of means for 

 this purpose. 



BOTANICAL, AGRICULTURAL AND GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF 

 SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA. 



In undertakng a scientific tour of explorations, it would be preju- 

 dicial to the object proposed to be confined to a single branch of 

 science, or to be limited in the range of observation to a single sub- 

 ject of inquiry. On the contrary, it is proper and even desirable 

 that the student of nature, who investigates the great volume in 

 which the finger of God has traced natural objects and natural 

 phenomena with the utmost fidelity and exactness, should be per- 

 mitted to extend his investigations to all kindred branches of science 

 which have a natural connection with each other. 



I must therefore be pardoned for encroaching somewhat upon 

 the department of a fellow professor, who is fully able to do justice 

 to his own branch of the survey, not with a view of furnishing a 

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