
          and hunted over there a few days but found only
 a few poor specimens of Nitrite. I am glad
 you liked your trip to Springfield but to
 me reading the proceedings it seemed at the close
 that Pierce, Bache + Henry with one or two
 men began to glorify one another & make
 the outer public believe the world could not get
 along without them. I have always thought that
 in Country we do not want a travelling assoc'n [association]: it
 was established in England to advance Science by inducing
 the government to give money grants & other aid: it accomplished
 that there; as it never can do that here
 and as the country is too large to draw men together
 from all parts, each meeting must be men or less
 sectional.


 I am quite at a loss to know what to do with
 the specimens of Iron ore etc. which the Treasury
 gave me - the subject is so vaguely indicated
 and so much has been done in the one line as

        