
          Washington D.C.
 March 6th 56 [1856]


 My Dear Doctor


 Lt. Parke has written to 
 me asking for an estimate of nos [numbers] & cost
 of drawings necessary for illustrating the 
 report & has desired me also communicate 
 with you to know if there will be 
 required any illustrations of plants
 for your report, & if so what the probable
 number of drawing would be. I scarcely
 think you had time to look through them
 yet to know if there be any new species
 to be described, or worthy of illustration
 but if you have had the time, you
 will be good enough to let me know.


 They are now engaged in the Smithsonian putting
 up the iron work of the new Sand Bath
 & furnace & the room will look more like
 a laboratory than a Museum as it did before.
 There is much wanted however a good Balance
 the one here is by Saxton & tho [though] delicate is clumsy
 and not to be confused with an Artling
 and the weights bear a certain true relation to
 each other but what [relation?] they have to avoirdupois
 or Centesimal weights; it is rather hard

        