
          [drawings in pencil]

I was much longer with Dr. Engelmann
studying Cactaceae than I anticipated
would [crossed out: would] be necessary. My
presence & specimens though imperfect
from collecting at a poor season of
the year was nevertheless of much
assistance to him in clearing up
doubts with regard to many of his
previously published species.
He tells me that a good many of mine
are very distinct from those heretofore
known. Of the Echinocacti I found
but 4 species & 3 of them are new 
[drawing in pencil] & very distinct. My Opuntia
were in better order, many of them
having been collected in [added: fruit &] [seeds?]
and assissting [assisting] him much in reducing
to something like order that very disorderly
genus. My paper [defend?]
is out. I will write more in a day 
or two on your other points of
inquiry. Yours sincerely in great
haste. Respects to your kind family
J.M. Bigelow   
        