
          Recd July 17th
Ansd July 24th

Quincy  Jun 19th 1837

Dear Sir,

I receved your letter of the 5th inst this day, and,
since I find you in such urgent pains accompanied with symptoms 
so alarming, I hasten to afford you what relief I am able, with
a sincere desire that you may meet with a speedy & safe delivery.

While at Aspalaya some time ago, I found the Croomia somewhat
more advanced than I had before seen it and gathered a few
specimens of it.  I will send you the best I have.
I have just examined one of the more immature capsules and
this is the result.
[5 drawings numbers L to R, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
1. Capsule & Calix  2. Longitudinal section repreenting 3 of the 5??
seeds hanging from the placenta, which last, is attached to the capsule
at, or near, the [crossed out:the] termination of its 2? - valves - 3. Same enlarged
4. Triangular placenta with its basal fimbriai [sic]
5. [crossed out: Ovary] Ovulum

I am not quite sure that I am correct in all these 
particulars - the weather is quite cloudy, and my glass does not exhibit
the minute parts sufficiently plain.  The capsule, too, which
I examined was quite small.  But there is one before [inserted: me] which is much
larger & I think under your hand it will enable you to find [inserted: out] all
that is necessary.  I will try to get more of the fruit.

Soon after Mr. Croom left for the North, I examined some of 
the specimens which we gathered at Mt. Vernon for the purpose
of ascertaining to which of the two divisions it belongs  My knowledge 
of Vegetable  Physiology is so limited that I could not decide, but I 
see nothing in the roots (the stem has every appearance of belonging to the Endog.)
        