
          Smithsonian Institution
 Washington April 3, 1852


 My dear Dr.


 Your letter of March 8' arrived
 during my absence and my two visits
 to your office when in New York having
 proved in vain. I have had no chance
 or time for communicating about the
 Plantae Fremontianae, as since my 
 return I have been excessively busy.
 I think you had better go right
 on with the article, although we
 can't put it into vol. [volume] III. It can come
 in as the first no of vol. [volume] V (IV is 
 now in press to be occupied exclusively by the 
 Dacota dictionary) We may publish this
 article with the 3rd vol [volume] by sending
 extras to some of the powerful botanists
 and societies abroad, and thus secure
 all the priority possible. Let Craighead
 go ahead then with it and before
 the first proof can be corrected we 
 will provide for the paper. What say 
 you? I hope it may be run through
 rapidly, so as to cause little delay. I want
 to see proof of first signature, as we have
 made some minor changes in the
 style of the new vols [volumes].


 Yours truly
 SF [Spencer Fullerton] Baird


 Dr. [Doctor] Jno. [John] Torrey
 New York

        