
          plants to which I have a sort of quit claim
title. No I could not get the Botany of the
Mexn. [Mexican] Bound. [Boundary] except a handsome vol. [volume] of the Cactaceae
kindly furnished me by Dr. Engelmann. I have
made application to half a dozen sources for a
copy of the general Botany which I very much need
but with no success. I suppose my political
skin is not quite dark enough to secure such
a favor. Mr. Horton our Rep. [Representative] sent 3 copies to our
county, one to a drunken Dentist the other 
two to two Doctors all of whom know as much about
Botany as a horse probably, for a horse knows when
he meets good grass especially if he's hungry
which is problematical about the Doctors. I 
am told they are on sail [sale] at the Washington
book stores & I may one of these days get one
in this way. The Zoology makes very pretty
pictures but if I can not get the botany in any other
way I must secure one through you when you succeed
in getting your extras through the mill. Yours with
Englemanns and the Grasses at the Smithsonian
will make it complete will it not? Bye [by] the bye
how do those grasses grow which you
promised us through the Smithsonian.

The Tallyrands [Talleyrands] of our government are a
        