
          Recd. Sept. 15th               West Chester, Pennsylvania August 28. 1840,
 ansd. Apr. 19.1841


 Dear Sir,


                    I duly received your favor of the 3rd of June,
 which was quite a treat; as it contained a summary of
 the Botanical news of the day, which I am always gratified
 to receive, and have not the means, here, of procuring.
    I have also received and distributed six copies of the
 remaining numbers of the 1st. volume of your Flora; &
 have my own copy, beside, neatly bound and in use.
 If every village and city in the U. States would promptly
 take a proportionate number of copies, you would doubt:
 less get along with the work more satisfactorily:but still
 I hope you will be encouraged to persevere, and let us see
 it completed with all possible dispatch.  Since Dr. Gray has
 had the opportunity to rectify the numerous errors respecting
 our American Plants, and to solve so many of our old
 perplexing doubts, it becomes exceedingly important that
 we should have the entire work with as little delay
 as possible.  It will be somewhat difficult for us
 older students to unlearn, thoroughly, the  numerous er:
 rors in which we have been educated; but the sooner
 we get at it, the better, - and it is very desirable that
 the younger botanists should be spared that trouble.
 It is, as you remark, quite startling to have so many
 of our old established views, and habits of thought,
 overturned and revolutionized by such discoveries as
 that of Dr. Gray, respecting the American Orchides.
 Desirable as truth is, in all such matters, it seems like
 drawing our teeth, to pluck out such deep-rooted mis:
 takes; and it adds, moreover to the existing grievance of
 an overloaded [illegible].  But when we once get set
 right, it is to be hoped we shall have more stability in
 our future nomenclature. It is a pity that Endlicher's
 Genera had not been completed before you began, -
 so that you might have followed his arrangement,
 and adopted his names, so far as he was found to be
 correct.  I can see no mode of getting clear of endless
 confusion, but by adopting the plan of some acknowledged
 [master?] in the science, adhering strictly to all that shall be
 found to be true, and gradually moulding and rectifying
 such portions, and details, as future discoveries may render necessary.

        