
          synonyme [synonym], I celosioides, El. [Elliot]!

As regards the state and prospects of Natural Science in
Charleston I am not yet capable of speaking. Dr. Backman
speaks very favorably of it, & he is a host in himself, but I fear
that he overrates the general amount. They have a 
"Philosophical Society" here which has been in existence
a number of years, but they have never published a
single volume of transations!

I see many proofs in Charleston that they are not free
from the rice so general in all Southern countries-
that of indolence-want of perserverance & energy, 
some efforts are now making to arouse both the 
commercial and literary portions of the society here
to proper extions[excitations?].  There is a good city Library
belonging to an incorporated company, and a tolerable
Museum of Ornithology & Zoology and a 
cabinet of minerals.

I shall depart, day after tomorrow, for North
Carolina where my family is, and whence I shall
return with them as soon as practicable, probably
in the course of a month, can you not 
let me hear from you at New Bern?

Yours respectfully
H.B. Croom

To 
Dr. J Torrey
        