
          My method is this – 1st. I take every
species from [Henry] Muhlenbergh, credited to Pennsylvania
and any state north of it. 2d. I take
all the species in Le Conte’s catalogue,
Green’s catalogue, your herbarium, & Bigelow’s
book. Then I take all [Eli] Ives’ plants
gathered here – a vast collection. In addition
to this Professor Smith’s son has
lent me his herbarium of 300 species,
collected near Dartmouth college. [Frederick] Pursh’s
credits of plants are hardly to be depended
on; but I use them with caution.

I am now ready to propose the favor I want of you.

1st. Cannot you effect this? Go to
[Caspar Wistar] Eddy and other collectors, tell them you
are collecting, and wish to know if any
new plants have been discovered in N. York,
not in Green’s catalogue published in
Albany 1814. Get the names, and, if [unreadable]
get the description.

2d. Send these names etc. to me, and all
your own discoveries this spring.
        