
          Philada. [Philadelphia] Nov. 24. 1817.


 My dear Sir, 


 Your very acceptable letter
 dated a few days ere your departure from Wilmington
 accompanied by a packet of plants came to me just on
 the point of setting off for Berks County, and now just 
 returned I find a subsequent one from the same
 place, together with one this day recd [recieved] from 
 Norfolk dated the 20th. inst. You will perceive
 then that it is not possible for me to
 enter on any detail of a Botanists nature on the 
 interesting contents of the two former and 
 even this hasty reply will hardly reach your
 step in time. I will however say two 
 words in relation to the Scirpus you found 
 at Washington, which I did in compliance with 
 your wish examine and compare with your
 own description & with specimens of my own
 considered as Scirpus autumnalis, which is
 not the same, comes very near to the S. mucronulotus
 Mx. Your plant say the single specimen
 you sent me fits well your description 
 save that you call the [?] terete
 I find it completely flat and with my best 
 means on the whole which may be [found?]
 at best of judging. I am most inclined 
 to consider it as a low perhaps starved

        