
          Recd [Received] Apr. 12.
 ansd [Answered] Oct. 17th


 Middletown April 9 1835.


 My Dear Friend


 In you letter of March 27 (for which I thank
 you) mention is made of your intention to visit
 Philadelphia. I thought I could trouble you to look
 at Muhlenberghs [Muhlenberg's] Herbarium and let me know the
 state of his specimens of willows. for this purpose 
 I would have you look over Muhl Cat of Am Plants [Muhlenberg's Catalogus plantarum Americae Septentrionalis]
 where there is a Salix washitana [added: no 11]! do look and see
 if there is any specimen of this, and tell me 
 what it looks like and if possible obtain a leaf
 But what I am most desirous to satisfy myself
 about is the Salix myricoides. What I want
 to know is if it blackens in drying if so, it must
 be very near to what I have considered as 
 only a var [variant] of Prinorides [Salix Prinoides], viz var [variant] hybrida
 and for this purpose you had better take on
 with you the specimen of S prinoides [Salix prinoides] and
 the one just named. I find a many
 varieties of S prinoides [Salix prinoides], and after all the 
 plant of Muhl [Muhlenberg] may be only a var. [variant]! Pray
 note the size of the Stipule and especially the 
 two strange looking glands as figured at the base
 of the leaf


 [pencil drawing of a leaf, labeled] 
 Salix myricoides 
 No 2  Muhl [Muhlenberg]
        