
          [born?] down upon me in a letter in which he seems to think 
I have made heavy changes against him. I relied perhaps too 
strongly on your mentioning my want to him, and as I received no answer, 
inferred he had forgotten me, but he lays the blame on you, saying 
that he is certain you did not mention it. My question with 
regard to the Palmetto was merely that between ourselves, I only 
wanted to know whether its appearance was such to strike 
you for I do not know precisely how he has mounted it, [crossed out: for] [added: and]
I suppose he has not put it in his Herbarium. He acknowledged
its receipt with thanks, at the time of its arrival, but as that was 
only two or three days before his departure for Europe, I thought 
that with all desire to preserve it he may not have had the time to 
do so and found himself obliged on his return to reject it. All 
this however cannot produce any difficulty between us.

With regard to the new Rhus, Gray says nothing 
to shew whether he regards it as new or not, as he has not seen 
it. I must beg you not to call it R. Gibbesii [Rhus gibbesii]. The only botanist 
who has honored my name, by using it in that manner,
is a foreign one, Prof. Harvey, and I am not anxious that 
it should be so used again. I propose publishing an [crossed out: account] [added: notice]
of my visit to Black Mountain and introducing a description of the 
Rhus, and this is an additional reason for not applying the name 
you propose. I prefer [some?] one in my other names, but wish to 
have your approbation. R. exaltata [Rhus exaltata] I will not use if you do not
approve it, although I do not think it inappropriate. Exaltatus
properly means elevated, raised on high, stationed on some lofty point.

[cross writing]
In both my trips to the mountains, I have had an eye to Shortia
and examined tufts of leaves of Galax, innumerable, without success!
Lundgren may be more successful.

Isend another grass for determination. The ladies 
of my family have introduced it into my garden "to have something 
green all the year." It fulfils [fulfills] their wishes admirably, is green winter 
and summer, takes root readily, and is thus easily propagated, and 
would apparently furnish good food for cattle, although not of remarkably 
rapid growth. I know not its origin, but presume it to be foreign 
as I have not given it an examination sufficient to determine it. 
You can give me the name doubtless without difficulty.

Very truly yours, 
Lewis R. Gibbes

        