
          Rec'd [received]
 March 15th

 New York City
 Sept [September] 20 1842

 Dear Sir

 I have to acknowledge the favor of
 yours of the 2nd first.

 Today I have [with?] Wiley & Putnam
 a specimen for you of the "polar" plant of the 
 western prairies which I spoke of in my former
 letter.

 Will you be good enough to write me directly
 to Jefferson Barracks Missouri, stating what you
 consider its botanical description.

 I presume from Prof. [Professor] Bailey's statement that
 I was mistaken in calling it a fern. He
 thinks it to be of the Compositae family.  [The?]
 flowers tribe - perhaps Silphium laciniatum.

 I think you must have the plant
 without knowing of its polarity. Prof. [Professor] B. [Bailey?]
 thinks that it must grow into a tall shrub
 with a yellow blossom which he saw on the 
 prairies of Illinois!  Losing its polarity after
 it leaves the infant growth. This is the 
 opinion of a Mr. T. Sped [?] of Ky. [Kentucky] who (it seems
 by a communication in [Nat Intell?] of Aug [August] 30) [crossed out : it]
        