
          We have but little appearance of Spring in this neighborhood as
yet but I am looking forward to the bursting of the buds
after our long & severe winter with all the ardor of a botanist
& a horticulturist. Allow me to ask how Mrs Torrey's (like many of 
those of our neighbors) house-plants suffered in our Lapland temperatures?
if so some of my geraniums &c are budding so prettily that
I shall be tempted to supply some of the empty places on her parlour 
stand.

Very Sincerely
A.J. Downing

Dr John Torrey.
        