
          December 12, 1853


 My Dear Doctor


 I send today the two
 signatures of your article on Botany
 for Woodhouse. I am sorry that 
 Small Caps are so scarce. However
 the Marcy article is to be better. I
 wish you would look over this and
 send me any errata that they may
 be printed at the end if of importance. 
 I have read the proof as carefully as
 I had time and trust that few
 errors have escaped notice. At any rate
 give me credit for a disinterested love
 of science in working over these reports till
 my eyes ache. Sitgreaves report has occupied
 in one way or another over 60
 hours of solid time, and Marcy's will
 require much more. I devote evenings
 till midnight, frequently in proof reading
 and other fussing, and few persons have
 any idea of the difficulties under which
 we have to labor, [added: with an office] where no standards of
 of typography are on hand in previous works.
 I have the satisfaction of knowing that
 both these books would have been the 
 [?] never ever [seen?] if I had not
 been willing to labor in season and out 
 of season without the slightest reward
 beyond [mens conscia reste?] So don't
 scold me if all is not exactly [?] [?]


 Write soon about errata.


 Sincerely yours
 Spencer F. Baird


 Dr. Jno. Torrey
 New York

        