
          Washington City March 14th 1848.


 Respected Sir


 I return my sincere thanks for your kind
 note and Books sent for use, through the politeness of
 Prof. Nemery ; The Plantae Prussianae is lean in Ferns, but will
 be of great utility when the Grania and Cyperaceae of the
 Expedn [Expedition] comes to be described, a good number of the former being
 in the collection; Sir Wm [William] J. Hooker in his neat "Popular Guide
 to Kew Gardens" pays our Expedition as neat a compliment, and it
 pleases me much to think that he is friendly disposed
 towards us, and I hope your influence with him, will secure
 a continuation of that friendship.


 I understood through Mr Drayton, that you were
 authorized to purchase Botanical Works for the Expedition, and
 on the list was Raddi's Ferns of Brasil [Brazil]. Now my good
 Sir, I ordered that work about 2 months ago through
 Mr. Pennington, Chestnut St. [Street] Phila [Philadelphia] and expect its arrival
 almost every day, you may now not consider it necessary
 to order another; But I do wish you could procure Gaudichaud, 
 a private copy of which I understand is now in
 the Academy of Sciences of Phila [Philadelphia], but it would perhaps be
 better if a copy could be purchased?


 I requested as a favour in a former letter, to know
 whether the Pteris pedata of the U. [United] States had reticulated

        