
          Ansd. [Answered] Feby. [February] 9th


 Frontera near El Paso


 December 12th 1851


 Dear Sir:.


 By the kindness of Maj [Major] Emory Chief
 of Topographical Eng. [Engineering] and Head of the Scientific
 Corps attached to the U.S. & Mex. [Mexico] Boundary Commission
 I am enabled to send two Boxes of Plants collected
 by myself since about the [1st?] of April last in 
 the region of country between this and the Copper
 mines. Some few of them however were collected
 farther west towards the Rio Gila near the Black
 mountains in a range called by the Mexicans
 "Burro". In conversation with Maj [Major] Emory I
 find he agrees with me about the propriety of 
 publishing a short diagnostic description of such
 plants as [crossed out: illegible] prove to be new in some accredited
 Journal so as to secure the just priority of their
 discovery. I think it an oversight in Mr. Bartlett
 to keep what he collects until the survey is done
 because in the intermediate time publication of
 his plants might possibly occur which would lose
 to him the priority of their discovery.


 I have no place to preserve my plants here
 and I have consequently sent my whole collections
 to you for preservation until my return on the
 recommendation of Maj [Major] Emory who assures me
 they will be well taken care of.

        