
          Drs Torrey & Gray


 Profress [Professors] & [Cet.?] etc.


 Arenzville Morgan Co. [County] Illinois Jan. 4th 1843.


 Gentlemen!


 I take the liberty to send to you
 herewith the drawing of a plant which I found first in June 1838 in Iowa
 Terr. [Territory], but at that time I lost my collection, and held then only the drawing; this year
 while rambling over the sand-plains in Northern Illinois I found it again, and
 send you drawing & description to your perusal & better judgement. You will know
 at the first glance whether it is a new plant or not, for my part I never
 met with it before nor can I make it out in any bot. [botanical] work in my possession or
 any of my friends. Here also (in the swampy [prairies?]) I found that 
 Umbellifercus (Umbelliferous) plant which You described under Cicuta maculata, but as much as have
 been at home with that plant in the bot. [botanical] Gardens in my country, yet I [crossed out: kno] could
 not identify it here, and it must certainly be another species; Among Myriads
 in all kinds of situations (it grows also now & then in sand-ridges) I never found
 a single one with that spotted Stem, nor could I ever find your descriptions disagree
 with my plant, but more other did agree, especially with the fruit. In my
 collection I marked it Cicuta [conuolos?], and I would recommend to you to
 examanine [examine] again European & Amer. [American] Specimens. I hope I shall soon have
 an opportunity to send to You a selection of my specimens and select
 seeds for Dr. Grays bot. [botanical] Garden.


 I was deprived of the opportunity to renew my slight aquaintance
 with Drs Gray & especially Dr Torrey. The collection which I [recollect?]
 send to you ought to have been send [sent] to you by me [page torn]
 not sinister motives deprived me of such a pleasure. [However?]
 I hope that I yet may have opportunity to [?] that [?]
 an [another?] as one of your many correspondents. 


 Though general credit I could not share as other botanists
 who contributed more or less to your publications, yet you
 have been complimentary enough to mention my name
 as botanist on Mr Nicolets [Joseph Nicolas Nicollet] expedition; I thank you heartily
 for that, but my future correspondence with You, I hope
 will place me in Your opinion above the merely collectors
 of specimens.


 I am Gentlemen with due respect


 thankfully Yours
 Charles A Geyer
 Cultivator & botanist
 Care of Dr Engelmann St. Louis Mo.

        