
          [1846?]


 My Dear Doctor,


 I am well reconciled to my disappointment
 on Saturday, being that you were occupied upon "something
 in the Bread and butter line". Sooth to say, there is very little
 of that sort of business stirring in these times. Many,
 very many thanks, for your valuable packet of plants, 
 & Sam:  shall have those indicated for him, if my honesty
 should hold out until his return home. The "geranium
 from Waste lands, Bethelem Pa [Pennsylvania]" is no doubt, our European
 G: pyrendicum. I feel well assured of it, tho' the fruit
 in your spec'n. [specimen] is very young. You send me some seeds,
 & a small piece of the culm, of what you call
 Stipa juncea. Upon this imperfect state of the plant
 it is bold to venture upon objections, nevertheless, 
 I very humbly submit, as follows, [fire?] our mutual 
 friend Kunth. S. juncea  of Lin: is a Grecian plant, 
 credited only with "? ripoe missuri". & the char'r. [character] assigned
  to the seed of that species does not agree with your specimen 
 S. juncea of Mt. (a northern plant, sinus Hudsonis &c) is
 S. canadensis of Poir. & has "aristis crassis brevibus"
 This then, cannot be your plant, which I suppose
 to be the S. barbata Mt. (S. Virginica Pers:).
 On the subject of Prinos, I have also a word to offer 
 with all humility. You send P. ambiguus Mt.? from 
 Pokono Mt. & I have the same spec's. [specimens] from Catskill Mt. 
 If the flowers are [hexamerous?], (mine are in fruit), it is just 
 the P. [crossed out: illegible] laevigatus of Ph. which he found "on the Allegheny
 Mts. N.Y to Va" whereas the P. ambiguus was found by 
 Mich: [Michaux] in Carolina & Ph. says "in wet woods & swamps".

        